Alone Forever
by Andruindel
Summary: [Zexion x OC] The new number XIII is an object of interest for most of the Organization. When Axel and Demyx ditch the Org. what will happen to the friend they left behind?
1. Persuasion

Alone Forever

By Andruindel

Summary: The life of the new number XIII. ZexionxOC I suck at summaries.

This is just a random story that I came up with when I was half asleep. I suck at summaries, so I guess I'm pretty lucky that you're even reading this. My little sister actually gave me the idea by suggesting that I should put Zexion in a towel. But, I gave her that idea by going all fan girl over the idea of Zexy in a towel. So, I suppose you could say it was my idea all along. Anyway, like I said, it's just random and has no importance or significance at all. I'm assuming that you're all here to see Zexy in a towel, right? Well, you've come to the right place. The title may not make sense at first, but you'll understand by the end, unless you're amazingly unintelligent. Now, you've had enough of my ramblings. Enjoy the randomness of my half-awake, fan girl brain!

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Xemnas sighed. He could hardly make himself heard over the racket that the Organization was making. It was the same every time he called a meeting. He sighed again, then glanced at the girl standing next to him. She was only sixteen or seventeen, and looked extremely nervous. Her dark brown hair fell to her waist and was highlighted with red. Her blue eyes traveled around the room, examining all the faces. Three of the members caught her attention at once. One had spiky, red hair and emerald eyes. Sitting directly on his left was a blonde boy with ocean blue eyes. His hair was styled some where between a mullet and a Mohawk. Two chairs to the red-head's right, was a boy with blue-black hair that covered his right eye because he had what she called an 'emo haircut'. The three boys looked to be her own age, or close to it.

Xemnas finally grew tired of trying to quiet the arguments that broke out between the members. He took a deep breath and shouted at the top of his voice: "SHUT YOUR MOUTHS OR I'LL SHUT THEM FOR YOU!!!" The girl flinched away from him as he bellowed the threat, and began trembling, partly from nerves and partly from fear. She couldn't help being intimidated by the members of the Organization.

When silence fell over the room, Xemnas smiled a bit. "The reason I have called you all here is…" He broke off as the blonde boy began waving his hand wildly in the air. "Yes, number IX?" He asked, indicating that the boy could speak.

The blonde stood up and spoke. "Who's the girl?" He asked, obviously speaking about the girl standing beside Xemnas. He gave the girl a wink, but she didn't respond. She simply lowered her eyes, avoiding the ocean blue gaze of the blonde.

It took all of Xemnas's will power to keep from slapping himself in the forehead. "That is the reason for this meeting." He said, striving to keep his voice even. "I want to introduce to you, Xembré." He indicated the girl and she stepped forward. Lifting her gaze, she looked around at them all. All the other members were looking at her, and she slowly met each person's gaze. The only familiar faces were those of Xemnas and Xigbar. Most of the members looked very uninterested, but the red-head and the blonde were watching her with something closer to interest than the others.

Xemnas continued, putting an arm around the girl's shoulders. "Xembré is going to become our new thirteenth member. I want you all to make her feel welcome." At that, the red-head and the blonde smirked at each other. Xembré didn't like the smirks, or the feel of Xemnas's arm around her shoulders. There was a round of murmured assent, and the meeting broke up.

Xembré started out of the meeting room with the intention of going to her room. But as she was about to step through the doors, she found her way blocked by the red-head and the blonde. She stopped abruptly, but they didn't move, or explain themselves.

"Excuse me," She said as firmly as she could. To her surprise, they moved aside so she could get by, but as she stepped between them, they closed in behind her. Following her every step of the way back to her room, they said nothing, but made sure to be right on her heels at every moment.

When Xembré could finally stand it no longer, and right as they reached her door, she whirled around and glared at the two boys. "Stop following me!" She snapped, her eyes flashing in anger.

The red-head wagged his finger in front of her face. "Ah, ah, ah," He chided her, still wagging his finger. "Don't raise your voice to your superiors!" He smirked, taking obvious pleasure in the fact that he was a higher rank than her. The blonde smirked as well, but their surprise was obvious when Xembré made a slight bow.

"I'm sorry. I quite forgot my place. Please forgive me." She said quietly. When she raised her head to look at them, they were blinking in surprise.

The red-head was the first to recover. "I'll let it slide this time, number XIII, but don't let it happen again." He said, narrowing his eyes at her. Then he was shoved roughly by the blonde.

"Oh, shut up, Axel!" The blonde said. "I think she should pass. She seems fine to me!" He gave Xembré a smile and held out his hand for her to shake. "I'm Demyx. But practically everyone here calls me number IX."

Xembré shook his hand, looking a bit confused. Then the red-head extended his hand. "Name's Axel. Got it memorized?" Xembré shook his hand as well, but she still seemed a bit confused.

Once they were introduced, Demyx considered himself Xembré's friend. "Come on, Xembré," He said, latching onto her arm. "Show us your weapon!" He smiled encouragingly at her, but she shook her head.

"I don't know what it is." She said, blushing a bit. She tried to loosen Demyx's hold on her arm, but he wouldn't let go. "Listen, I've got this book that I really want to finish. So, if you'll excuse me," She managed to escape Demyx's grasp at last, and retreated into her bedroom.

Axel and Demyx stood in the hall, staring at the door that Xembré had closed so suddenly in their faces. "Was it something we said?" Axel asked, staring blankly at the door that had a number XIII above it.

Demyx shrugged. "Maybe she's just shy." He said, turning away from the door.

"Pfft, are you kidding? With that figure? She can't possibly be shy! Look at Larxene, she's not shy!" Axel dismissed the possibility that Xembré might be shy with a wave of his hand.

Shrugging again, Demyx began walking away, followed closely by Axel. "Larxene is more what I'd call sadistic. And I'm pretty sure there's a difference between being outgoing and being just plain sadistic."

They continued walking, silent now as they each thought their own thoughts. Suddenly, Demyx started. "Hey, I just remembered, I've got to do something!" He dashed away, calling over his shoulder: "If anyone asks, I've been in my room all day, and I'm not there now!" Axel stared after the younger boy as he dashed away, one eyebrow cocked.

"What the heck is he up to now?" He wondered to himself. Then he shrugged and wandered away, thinking vaguely that it was probably close to lunch time.

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Xembré sighed, glad to finally be in the solitude of her own room. She threw herself down onto her bed, and just laid there for what seemed to be hours, but it was only a few minutes. Xemnas seemed to think she was worthy of being a member of the Organization. But she didn't think so. She didn't know what her weapon was, and she didn't even know what power she had.

She sat up after a moment and looked around the room, thinking again how much she hated it. Even though it was exactly how she wanted it to be, and it was exactly how she had described it to Xemnas, it didn't please her. It seemed to mock her. The queen sized bed seemed only to remind her of the boyfriend she had left behind when she became a nobody. Everything was, more or less, boring. The tiles were black and white, looking like a chess board. Her bedspread was black, the sheets white. All her furniture was black with white knobs. The writing desk tucked into a corner was littered with papers, most of them wrinkled. She had already pasted the walls with pictures she'd drawn, most of them black and white, but a very few colored. She was an exceptional artist, but she had found very little inspiration in the castle. One of the drawings depicted Xemnas, as lifelike as if he were staring out of the paper at her.

She hated her room. All her life she had wanted a room like that. But now that she had it, she couldn't help thinking of the cost it had come at. The life she had left behind flashed through her mind. Her boyfriend, her parents, her friends, her school; everything she had ever taken for granted had suddenly been torn away from her. The heartless attack had been both unexpected and unprepared for. She could remember fear, panic, screaming. Then pain, unbearable pain. And then: darkness. The darkness was an endless expanse of time. No time seemed to have passed there, but yet, an eternity seemed to have passed.

After the darkness had come a blaring, neon green light. Rain was falling, gently washing her face, creating inside her a feeling of great stillness. No fear, no pain, no emotion at all. At that time, she hadn't understood. Then came Xigbar. Under Xemnas's orders, he had come to fetch her. The meeting with Xemnas was anything but pleasant. Though, however much she disliked Xemnas, the feeling of complete isolation was enough to drive her to try and persuade Xemnas to let her join the Organization. To her surprise, he had.

She still didn't understand why he had let her join the Organization. But her musings were interrupted when she happened to glance at her clock. It was shortly after lunch time. Slowly exiting her room, she glanced around. The halls were empty and quiet, strengthening her forlorn feeling. She walked slowly through the halls, which remained devoid of life until she neared the dining room. Angry voices reached her ears breaking the silence that had, until then, weighed heavily upon her.

Upon entering the kitchen, she saw immediately that something was going on. As soon as she entered, she heard the last half of Marluxia's angry sentence. "…before the meeting they were fine, when I got back to my room, they had all been picked, arranged in a nice vase and left outside the Superior's office with a card that said 'I love you!' and was signed 'Marly'."

Not knowing Marluxia at all, Xembré had no idea what he was talking about. The whole Organization had its attention riveted on Marluxia and Demyx, so they hadn't noticed her when she entered the room. "What's going on?" She asked, diverting the attention of every member onto herself.

Marluxia whirled on her, anger glinting in his eyes. "I'll tell you what's going on." He snapped. "This bastard," He pointed an accusing finger at Demyx. "Ruined all my flowers and humiliated me in front of the whole Organization!" He had his pink scythe out and looked ready to start killing people at any given moment. A few rose petals whirled around him, coming out of no where.

Xembré looked behind Marluxia to see Demyx who was looking both frightened, and a bit concerned. She gave him a reassuring half-smile before turning her attention back to Marluxia. "Demyx couldn't have ruined your flowers." She said, sounding and looking very much like a little girl as she gave him an innocent smile. "He was with me after the meeting, up until he left to get lunch."

Marluxia lowered his scythe slightly as he pondered the likely-hood of her statement. During his brief distraction, Xembré glanced again at Demyx. He looked like he was about to speak, but she shook her head at him every so slightly to warn him against it.

Marluxia turned his attention back to the girl standing in front of him, smirking unpleasantly. "What were you two doing, I wonder." He said, giving her a sly smile. He lowered his scythe all the way, looking considerably calmer.

Giggling, Xembré blushed. "That's none of your business," She said, sounding shyly mischievous. "But about your flowers: seeing as you obviously have the power to control flowers, and you're extremely good at it, it should be no trouble for you to grow new ones." She took a step closer to him, looking him right in the eye. All signs of her earlier shyness had disappeared. She seemed oblivious to the fact that the whole Organization was watching her.

Marluxia returned her gaze, looking deep into her blue eyes. As they stared at each other, Marluxia realized just how beautiful her eyes were. They were very clear blue, but flecks of darker and lighter blues highlighted them, making them look like endless pools of deep blue water. The longer Marluxia looked into her eyes, the more he felt that he had to believe her. Everything about her seemed to say that she was trustworthy. And the flattery had helped immensely.

"Alright," He said at last, smirking again. "Demyx is off the hook this time." He stalked away, and the rest of the Organization drifted away to eat their lunch. Some of them were laughing, and one man approached Xembré, a friendly smile hovering about his features.

"I think Xemnas made an excellent choice when he made you number XIII. I am pleased to make your acquaintance. My name is Luxord." He extended his hand, still smiling pleasantly. The difference between him and Marluxia amazed Xembré. Unlike Marluxia's long, pink hair, Luxord's hair was blonde, and very short. He had a short beard and lots of earrings in both ears. He also seemed very pleasant, unlike the hot tempered Marluxia.

Xembré shook his hand, giving him a small bow. "It's very nice to meet you." She said politely. The man smiled again and then took his leave, joining the others at lunch.

"Thanks," Demyx said, putting an arm around Xembré's shoulders in a grateful embrace. "You just basically sacrificed your chance of being respected by the rest of the Organization. They kinda think we were…" He was cut off as Axel approached, laughing.

"That was amazing!" Axel said, grinning. "How did you do that?" He punched the girl lightly in the arm.

Xembré shrugged, which was hard to do because Demyx was still hugging her. He didn't seem to know the meaning of the words 'personal space'. "I just used all my powers of persuasion. And it paid off." She returned Demyx's hug, wrapping her arms tightly around him. It didn't seem an awkward thing for her to do, because Demyx was just so lovable that it actually seemed natural for her to return his affectionate embrace. Axel and Demyx could hardly believe that she was the same girl who had slammed her door so rudely in their faces just recently.

Axel rolled his eyes. "You must have some major powers of persuasion." He said, shaking his head. "Marluxia's not the easiest person to persuade. Unless it's, well, _different_ 'persuasion'…" He grimaced, giving himself a _very_ frightening mental image.

When Demyx finally let go of Xembré, after being impatiently reprimanded by Axel, the three teens wandered over to the table to eat lunch. They chatted and laughed, getting acquainted. They nearly forgot that they had only met that morning.

During the course of the meal, Xembré was aware of someone's gaze on her. When she lifted her eyes to look around the room, she saw that the teen with the 'emo hair' was gazing steadily at her, his fingers laced, his elbows resting on the table and a calculating expression on his face. Their gazes met and the boy slowly blinked, then looked away.

Xembré shrugged and went back to her meal. Right as she was about to take a bite of broccoli, Axel snorted in disgust. "Are you seriously going to eat that?" He asked derisively. He eyed the vegetable with distaste.

Smiling brightly at the red-head, Xembré cocked her head to one side. "Of course I am! Broccoli's my favorite!" She replied, and, still smiling, ate the vegetable.

"I can't stand broccoli!" Axel exclaimed. He turned away from the brunette, only to see that Demyx, who was sitting on his other side, was eating broccoli as well! "Every one is going crazy!" He cried, putting his head in his hands. "I'm surrounded by crazy people!" He looked from side to side, as though afraid that everyone in the room was about to go psycho on him.

Rolling her eyes, Xembré picked up another piece of broccoli and offered it to Axel. "Come on, try some! You'll like it!" She grasped his arm and tried to get him to eat the broccoli, but Axel wasn't about to let her. He struggled, grabbing her wrist to prevent her from force-feeding him the 'nasty' green thing. For a while, they struggled, watched by the entire Organization. Being both bigger and stronger than Xembré, it was no hard task for Axel to grab both of the girls' wrists and put a stop to her attempts to feed him the broccoli. But that put them in the perfect position to look each other right in the eyes.

"Please try it, Axel?" Xembré asked, smiling brightly at him. "If you don't like it, I promise I won't ever make you eat it again!" She continued gazing up at him, her eyes boring into his.

As Axel gazed at Xembré, everything else seemed to melt away. He felt that he couldn't deny her something that would make her happy. Her eyes clearly said that if he at least tried the broccoli, she would be extremely happy. She blinked slowly, concealing her deep, blue eyes for a split second, then Axel made his decision.

He loosened his grip on her wrists, and then slowly let go. Turning his head away, he avoided her gaze. "I'll try it…" He said, quietly. There was stunned silence throughout the room. Everyone stared at Axel in astonishment. Demyx's mouth was half open, his eyes wide. Xembré couldn't understand why everyone was so shocked.

Taking the broccoli that Xembré offered him, Axel stared at it for a moment. No one took their eyes off of Axel and Xembré, watching with rapt attention. He stared at the vegetable for another moment, and then hesitantly bit into it. Everyone watched with wide eyes as he chewed and swallowed.

"It's… not bad…" He said gruffly, shrugging. Everyone burst out laughing. Most of the laughter was spiteful and cruel, but a few people were laughing from actual amusement. They didn't often see Axel persuaded to do something, especially when it was a girl who had persuaded him. Usually the only time he gave in to persuasion was when it was forceful 'persuasion' and he was threatened with pain. The only one's who didn't laugh were Demyx and the 'emo hair' guy.

Xembré smiled at Axel who was looking bewildered. On his left, Demyx was looking reflectively at his plate. "How did you do that?" Axel asked, staring at Xembré with wide eyes. "I felt like I had to do it. I think it was something to do with your eyes… They're just so beautiful; I just had to do it for you…" He stopped talking suddenly as he realized just how stupid he sounded, but Xembré was still smiling, a light blush creeping into her cheeks.

"I'm not sure…" Xembré said in answer to his question, shrugging her shoulders and shaking her head. "I'm just really good at persuading people." She went back to her meal, chewing thoughtfully. As she ate, she glanced around the room and her eyes fell on the boy with the 'emo hair'. She had a feeling that he had been watching her a moment earlier. Her gaze lingered on him until he glanced at her again. Their eyes met for a brief moment, but after a few seconds he blinked and looked away. After that, Xembré found her gaze wandering on to the boy more and more often, until she was staring hard at him, trying to find out what it was about him that attracted her attention so much.

After careful consideration, Xembré decided that it was his eyes. His eyes were like a dark abyss. Though they were intimidating, and almost frightening at first, if you took the time to explore a bit, they didn't prove half as intimidating as before. Just as Xembré was reaching that conclusion, Demyx leapt up from his seat, coming abruptly out of his thoughtful silence.

"Hey, I've figured it out!" He exclaimed, doing a sort of victory dance. "I know why you're so good at persuading people, Xembré!" He was fairly quivering with excitement, and his smile and tone of voice said that he was obviously very proud of himself.

Xembré leapt out of her seat as well, rushing to Demyx's side. "Well, don't just stand there; tell me what you figured out!" She said, grasping his hand. She looked nearly as excited as Demyx. She bounced up and down, still holding Demyx's hand tightly.

"It's your power! You have the power of persuasion!" He replied, looking very proud and pleased with himself. "That's why you got Marluxia to stop being mad at me, and that's how you got Axel to eat the broccoli!" He was grinning brightly, still very excited.

"That's great, Demyx!" Xembré squealed. "I never thought that persuasion might actually be my power!" She smiled up at the blonde who was a few inches taller than her. She seemed so happy that you'd think she had just been promoted to rank number II. No one could understand why she was so happy about something so simple. But, they couldn't understand what she saw in Demyx either, so they just assumed that she was a bit crazy. Xembré however, as she smiled up at Demyx, thought that maybe, just maybe, her life as a nobody wouldn't be so horrible after all.

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Well, there's chapter one. I think this fan fiction is turning out… interesting. Please, don't forget to review it. I worked hard on this, and I'd REALLY like to know what you think. So, don't forget to review!!!


	2. Zexy in a Towel!

Alone Forever

Chapter Two

Here's chapter two! I hope you like it!!!

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A week slowly went by, and during that time, Xembré's relationship with Axel and Demyx grew considerably. The three of them were together constantly, leaving each other only when necessary. And the two boys found it necessary to leave Xembré alone quite often. She tended to lapse into depressed silence, and when that happened, they couldn't get her to laugh, smile or even talk to them. So they left her alone. But she would always find them again in a few hours, back to her usual, cheerful self.

One day, while the three teens were on their way to lunch, laughing and talking as usual, they paused right outside the bathroom door. Xembré's hair hung down her back in one long braid. Axel, having just made a particularly insulting yet funny remark about Marluxia, had reduced Demyx to tears of laughter, and they were having a hard time getting the blonde teen back up from the ground where he had collapsed. Shaking her head, Xembré grabbed one of Demyx's arms while Axel grabbed the other, and they finally pulled the blonde to his feet. He was still laughing, and though the remark had been funny, Xembré couldn't see why he was still laughing about it.

Right as they began walking again, Demyx still laughing, the door to the bathroom crashed open, letting out a cloud of steam. The three teens paused, smiling sheepishly. Demyx clapped a hand over his mouth, stifling his laughter.

"What the hell are you three doing that's so funny?" A voice that Xembré had heard before and had often wished to hear addressing her asked from the bathroom door. When Xembré turned to look, she saw the boy with the 'emo hair'. He had apparently just gotten out of the shower, and was wearing nothing but a towel wrapped firmly around his waist. He was vigorously drying his hair with another towel, and looked extremely annoyed.

A sharp intake of breath was the only reaction he got from Xembré. She stared at him with wide eyes, taking in his appearance. As he pulled the towel away from his head, he displayed the fact that his hair was still a bit wet, but ruffled, almost fluffy. She continued to stare at him, speechless. But her obvious alarm and slight interest went unnoticed by either Axel or Demyx as they screamed like little girls, clapping their hands over their eyes.

"Holy crap, Zexion, put some freakin' clothes on!" Axel shouted, turning around completely so as to avoid getting the slightest glimpse of the towel-clad teen. Demyx merely whimpered, still covering his eyes with both hands.

"Fine, don't go anywhere." Zexion snapped, retreating back into the bathroom for a moment. When he reemerged, he was wearing his cloak and a scowl. His hair was still ruffled, and Xembré continued to stare at him. She found it hard to believe that he was the same boy who had just come out of the bathroom wearing a towel. You would never know, just by looking at him, that he was so gorgeous underneath that cloak.

"Now," He said, folding his arms in front of him and glaring at the three lower ranks. "What was so funny? I could hear the idiot laughing from in the bathroom." He continued to glare, one of his eyebrows twitching, as the other two boys slowly uncovered their eyes.

"We were laughing at something you wouldn't understand." Axel said, folding his arms as well.

The two teens glared at each other, and Xembré could feel the mutual dislike simmering in the air between the two of them. After watching the two boys glare at each other, Demyx spoke up.

"You know Xembré, right Zexion?" He asked, indicating Xembré who was standing slightly behind him. She was still staring with wide eyes at Zexion, and hadn't spoken or made any sound since he'd appeared.

"I know who she is, certainly." Zexion replied, turning his attention on to Xembré. "But we have not been formerly introduced." He examined the girl for a moment, until Demyx rolled his eyes.

"Well then, this is the perfect time! Xembré, this is Zexion. Zexion, this is Xembré." He grinned as he turned to look at Xembré who was blushing slightly. All her shyness seemed to have returned, and she made no move to shake Zexion's hand, or greet him in any way. She simply stared at him.

Seeing the way she looked at Zexion, Demyx grinned slyly. "We were just on our way to lunch, Zexion!" He said cheerfully, turning back to Zexion. "You wanna come with us?" He smiled down at Xembré who stared at him with an expression of mixed horror and disbelief on her face.

Zexion shrugged. "I was heading that way myself. I might as well go with you." Together, the four teens headed toward the dining room, but no one spoke. Xembré couldn't bring herself to speak and break the tense silence between Axel and Zexion. Demyx however seemed perfectly happy. He had a big grin on his face, but when he met Xembré's angry gaze, the smile slid off his features.

"Why did you have to let him come?" Xembré hissed at him, keeping her voice low so Zexion and Axel wouldn't hear her. A frown came onto her face, but it was only a small one. She could never get seriously angry at Demyx.

"I thought you'd be glad I did!" Demyx whispered back, pouting. "Don't try to hide it. I can tell." He glanced sideways at her, one eyebrow cocked. "You like him!" He said the last sentence out loud, making Xembré slap a hand over his mouth. Thankfully, neither Axel nor Zexion seemed to have heard him. Placing a hand on Demyx's arm, Xembré pulled him to a stop.

"Shut up!" She hissed savagely at him, trying her best to look angry. But however hard she tried, she couldn't keep a blush from creeping up her neck and into her cheeks. "He's freakin' hot, yeah… But I don't like him. How can I? I'm a nobody, remember?" She had to try hard not to borrow Axel's catchphrase, adding the oh-so-cute 'Got it memorized' onto the end of her sentence. "Now, promise me you won't tell anyone that I said that." She stared hard at him, meeting a gaze almost as blue as her own. She felt a little guilty because she never used her power if she could help it. This time however, she _couldn't_ help it. She could _not_ have Demyx running around the castle telling everyone that she liked Zexion.

Demyx returned her gaze, staring deep into her eyes. They were standing so close that he could feel the girl trembling a bit. Finally, he lowered his gaze. "I promise…" He said.

Xembré smiled and threw her arms around him in a grateful hug. Before Demyx could react, Zexion called back to them, "Are you two lovebirds going to come to lunch, or should I have Axel eat for you?" Pure spite was in his voice, and the tone he used made Xembré tremble harder, mostly from anger.

Quickly stepping away from Demyx, Xembré blushed. She gave Demyx one last smile, then dashed after Axel and Zexion. Determined to stop being shy, she slowed down and matched her pace to Zexion's. "Demyx and I are _not_ lovebirds." She said quietly, but firmly. "I only pretended that so Marluxia would stop being mad at him."

Zexion shook his head. "Whatever." He said. He was smirking, and obviously didn't believe her.

Stopping in mid-stride, Xembré grabbed Zexion's arm, pulling him to a stop. He stared at her, taken aback by her sudden action. She had dared to touch him! He yanked his arm out of her grasp, but she continued glaring at him. She didn't say anything, just glared at him. He met her gaze, and could feel her trying to persuade him to do something. But he wasn't sure what.

"What?" He asked finally, tearing his eyes away from her face.

"You don't like me. Do you?" She asked, cocking her head to one side and narrowing her eyes at him. Axel and Demyx stood a short distance away, watching in slight horror. What the heck did Xembré think she was doing?!

"No one thinks very highly of you." Zexion answered smoothly. But however calm he appeared on the outside, the short, hesitant silence between her question and his answer told Xembré that she had caught him off guard. "Seeing as you're with Demyx, I don't blame them." He shrugged, as though disliking the girl in front of him was nothing unusual.

"I told you," Xembré said, grinding her teeth together. She couldn't understand why she was so angry with him. The only thing he'd done was disbelieve her when she said she wasn't with Demyx. That was no reason to be so mad at him. "I only said that so Marluxia would stop being mad at him. There's _nothing_ going on between be and Demyx."

Before Zexion could reply, she turned away from him. Striding forward a few paces, she was resolute in her intention to remain mad at Zexion. But before she'd walked more than ten feet, she stopped, her shoulders sagging. "You know what," She said, turning around to find herself face-to-face with Zexion. He, Axel and Demyx had apparently followed close behind her. "I don't want to start out like this. Let's just forget this ever happened and see what happens. I don't want to ruin the chance of making a new friend just because you won't believe me when I say _there's nothing going on between me and Demyx!_" She added extra emphasis to the last half of her sentence, then turned and continued walking. Zexion said nothing, but a small smirk came onto his face.

When the four teens reached the dining room, they found that very few of the other members were around. Larxene was sitting at the table, reading while she ate. Xembré had been briefly introduced to the sadistic blonde, and she couldn't say that she enjoyed the other girl's company. She was roughly the same age as Xembré, but Xembré found it hard to get along with her. Their completely opposite personalities often clashed, resulting in arguments.

"Hi, Larxene." Xembré greeted the only other female member of the Organization with a slight smile. Larxene turned her eyes on Xembré for a brief moment, but didn't say anything. When Axel sat down across the table from her though, she lifted her eyes to his face, and Xembré noticed, throughout the whole meal, that she would often glance at Axel when she thought no one was looking.

The four teens sat down, Xembré sitting between Axel and Demyx, and Zexion sitting a few seats away from them, on the other side of the table. The rest of the Organization drifted in in the space of ten minutes, but none of them took any notice of the three teens who were laughing and talking. Xembré kept glancing at Zexion, and whenever she did, she was almost sure that she'd seen his eyes flick away, right before she noticed that he was watching her. She tried not to take any notice of this, though, and the meal passed both pleasantly and without incident.

After the meal, right as Axel was about to stand up, Larxene engaged him in a conversation. Xembré noticed a strange glint in the other girls' eyes, but she couldn't decide what the glint meant. Instead of trying to decipher another girls' mind, Xembré wandered out of the dining room. She was thinking vaguely that the book she was currently reading would be a good enough pass-time until Demyx and Axel thought of something to do. However, when she exited the dining room, she met Zexion face-to-face, almost nose to nose.

"What were you trying to persuade me to do?" He asked, staring her hard in the eye.

"W-when…?" Xembré asked, her voice trembling a bit. She tried to slip past Zexion, but he pushed her against a wall, trapping her. His forearm rested on the wall above her head and he leaned in close.

"You know when," He hissed, still gazing intently at her. "When you grabbed my arm. Now, what was it you wanted me to do?" His voice was barely more than a whisper, but it seemed to echo all through Xembré's head.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She lied quickly, pressing back against the wall.

"Yes you do…" Zexion whispered, his voice getting lower. "Was it a kiss you wanted…?" He leaned closer, bringing his mouth as close to hers as he dared at the moment. "If it was," He continued, still whispering. "All you had to do was ask."

Xembré trembled as he drew so close to her, a light blush staining her cheeks. In another few seconds, she felt sure that her lips would touch Zexion's. But before it could happen, she slipped underneath his arm and dashed away. She didn't look back or stop running until she reached her room. Once there, she slammed the door shut behind her and locked it. Then she threw herself onto her bed. She just wanted to disappear. Her thoughts were twisting and turning, twining together until they were so tangled and confused that she only wished to be away from them.

Back in the hall outside the dining room, Zexion watched the girl run until he could no longer see her. Even after she was long gone, he stayed where he was, a calculating expression on his face. Every ounce of his attention was turned to thinking. Planning. Scheming. What he was best at.

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This chapter may have been a bit short. But something BIG happened, didn't it. Hee Hee. I like this chapter. Not only is Zexy in a towel, but he's just plain seductively hot! -daydreaming- Please review, and thanks for reading! I'll get the next chapter up as soon as possible!


	3. A Fire

Alone Forever

Chapter Three

Here's chapter three. I hope you like it, and thanks for reading!

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The next day, when Xembré went down to breakfast, her hair was partially pulled back. She was having difficulty deciding how to style her hair, so she wore it differently every day. Axel and Demyx, both late sleepers, never went to breakfast with her, but she was used to that. It was only six thirty; Xembré had always been an early riser.

At first glance, the kitchen appeared to be empty. A slight movement seen from the corner of Xembré's eye attracted her attention to Zexion who was sitting at the table, sipping tea and looking bored. He didn't seem at all surprised to see Xembré, and the thought crossed her mind that maybe he'd been waiting for her.

"Oh… Good morning, Zexion." Xembré forced a smile onto her face as she greeted the Cloaked Schemer. Without waiting for a response, which she didn't get anyway, she strode to the refrigerator and searched through it. There was nothing interesting to eat, so she just grabbed an apple.

Ignoring Zexion, she sat down at the table and took a bite out of the apple. The apple was very juicy, and the juice ran down her chin. A bit embarrassed, she wiped it away, but didn't look at Zexion until he cleared his throat, almost as though he wanted to speak. But he seemed to change his mind and said nothing, and Xembré liked it that way. Preferably, she wouldn't have liked to see him at all, but the silence was better than the awkward words that would be exchanged should he speak.

When finally he did speak, it was in a quiet voice. "I've decided something." He said, gazing steadily across the table at her.

"What did you decide…?" Xembré asked, though she didn't really want to know. She continued eating while Zexion pondered. He seemed almost hesitant to say what was on his mind. She met his gaze, silently inviting him to go on.

His tone was still quiet and thoughtful when he spoke again. "I've decided that I believe you when you say there's nothing going on between you and Demyx." He shrugged his shoulders, almost in an embarrassed way. The boy who had seemed so apathetic and uncaring the day before was now coming close to apologizing. Xembré wasn't quite sure what to think of it.

"Thanks…" She said, for lack of anything better to say. The silence that followed was both awkward and filled with what Xembré thought was resentment.

After what seemed to be hours, Xembré spoke again. "So, you're rank six…?" She asked.

Zexion nodded, but didn't speak, so Xembré continued. "You're a pretty high rank then… Seven ranks above me…" She paused, pondering. "It must be nice being such a high rank…" She said, almost regretfully.

At this, Zexion almost smiled. "Only five other members that can boss me around." He said, that ghost of a smile still on his face. "Why, being the lowest rank already getting to you?"

Shrugging, Xembré glanced away from him. "Not really. It just gets a little hard to respect them all when they can be so horrible to me…" She fell silent, musing thoughtfully over what she had just said.

They were silent for another few minutes, then Zexion broke the silence. "You were confused last night…" He commented, not meeting her gaze.

"How do you know?" Xembré asked. She turned a slightly confused gaze on the teen, but he was avoiding her eyes.

"Let's just say, part of my power is knowing what people are thinking." He said simply.

That got the two of them talking about their powers and the powers of the other members. By unspoken consent, neither of them mentioned the events of the previous day. Xembré was still a bit uneasy around the placid teen, but since he didn't bring up the day before, and he had practically apologized, she decided to loosen up around him.

By the time they had talked enough to feel that they knew each other fairly well, they had been joined by the rest of the Organization. The only three missing were Xaldin, who had been sent on a mission and Axel and Demyx who were most likely sleeping still. Xemnas, as always, was not present either. Xembré found, as she talked with Zexion, that she did not feel awkward or embarrassed around him at all. Not that she could actually feel anything anyway.

"Xembré…?" Xembré snapped out of her thoughts, blinking in surprise. Zexion had a slight smirk on his face, and it was he who had interrupted Xembré's musings. The smirk made Xembré feel that he knew something that she didn't.

"Sorry," She said, rising slowly from her chair. "I was just thinking… And, if Axel and Demyx aren't up by now, I should probably go wake them. I'll see you." She gave him a small smile and left the kitchen, heading toward Axel's room. She wanted to discuss something with him.

As she neared the pyro's room, she heard a shout and what sounded like an explosion. Extremely worried, she dashed the remaining stretch of hall to Axel's room and skidded to a halt outside his door. "Axel?" She called, her own voice sounding frightened in her ears. There was no answer, so she knocked loudly on his door. When he still didn't answer, there was only one thing left to do. She entered his room without an invitation.

Right as she opened the door, a blazing fireball nearly hit her full in the face! She ducked right on time though, and the fireball went sailing over her head and out the door. Axel was tossing and turning in bed, letting out small whimpers of fright every now and then.

Xembré ventured into the room and to the side of his bed. "Axel," She called softly, leaning on the edge of the king-size bed. Axel calmed some, letting out one last whimper. "Axel," She called again. "Axel, wake up, you're dreaming." She ran her fingers through his hair, trying gently to wake him. His eye lids fluttered, and all of a sudden, he grabbed her wrist tightly, preventing her from stroking his hair any more.

"What are you doing…?" He asked, looking sleepily up at her. "And what the heck are you doing in my room…?" He sat up, running a hand through his hair.

Xembré perched on the edge of his bed, averting her eyes from the red-head who wasn't wearing a shirt. "You were having a nightmare or something." She said, shrugging.

"I was not!" Axel said quickly, and so fiercely that Xembré felt sure he was lying.

Smiling, Xembré shook her head. "So, you often throw fireballs in your sleep?" She asked, glancing at Axel who had drawn his knees up to his chest, looking a bit depressed. He didn't reply, so the girl continued. "You know, having nightmares isn't something to be ashamed of. Everyone has nightmares. I have them all the time…" Her voice trailed off.

The two teens sat in silence for a bit, but presently, Axel stirred. "So, what did you want?" He asked, turning to look at Xembré who was gnawing her lip in a distracted way.

"Oh… I wanted to talk to you about something…" She said in a hesitant voice. She was staring at the floor, fingering one of her sleeves and still biting her lip.

Moving over so he was sitting on the edge of the bed beside her, Axel looked into her face, a bit concerned. "What'd you want to talk to me about?" He asked. As he met her gaze, he wanted to put an arm around her, or comfort her in some way. _She's trying to persuade me... _He thought to himself. Before sinking too deeply into her blue gaze, he turned his eyes away. He wasn't the most comforting guy. He would let Demyx do it.

"Well, I'm kinda confused… Or at least, I think I am. If I'm a nobody, can I really be confused…?" She blinked, returning her gaze to the floor. Lifting a hand, she pushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Her hands were never still, and she continued biting her lip.

"Aw," Axel breathed, a trace of a smile flitting across his face. "It's the classic 'How the heck am I feeling emotion?!' problem. Well…" He paused, figuring how best to address the problem. "Larxene once told me, that we're not really feeling the emotions, we're just remembering what it's like to feel them. Say you're in a situation where you should be scared. You just think 'I should be scared right now' and then you remember what it's like to be scared… Or something like that…" He paused, and then something occurred to him. "What emotion are you struggling with..?" He asked, a light smirk coming on to his face.

"I'm not telling you!" She snapped, frowning slightly at him.

"Aw, come on, we all struggle with emotion during the first few weeks. I struggled with anger and depression mostly…" He shrugged, letting his emerald gaze meet Xembré's blue one again.

"Well, mostly loneliness… I guess…" she said, but from her hesitant tone of voice, Axel could tell she wasn't telling the truth. At least, not the whole truth.

"Come on, you're not telling me something." Axel said, grinning and nudging her with his elbow. "You can tell me!"

Blushing, Xembré dropped her gaze back to the floor. "No." She said shortly.

Axel let out a laugh. "Oh, I get it! It's love, isn't it? You're confused because you think you love someone! But since you're a nobody, you're worried you can't truly love them!" He nearly fell off the bed from laughing so hard.

"This is exactly why I didn't want to tell you in the first place!" She snarled, leaping up from the bed.

"Hey, come on, don't be mad!" Axel pleaded, and he stopped laughing right away. "I promise I won't laugh any more. Now, who do you think you love?" He couldn't keep a small smile from tugging at the corner of his mouth, but he did at least try to stop laughing.

"I'm not telling you," She said in an entirely different tone. She gave him an infuriating half smile and started for the door. "Come on, let's go wake Demyx."

Axel rose and, pulling his cloak over his head, followed Xembré out the door. He collided with her right outside his room. "What's up?" He asked, yanking the cloak all the way down over his head. But as soon as he did, he saw. Xembré was staring at a large fire that had sprung up right at Zexion's door. "Please don't tell me that was my fault…" Axel moaned, but Xembré had already dashed down the hall toward Demyx's room.

"Demyx!" She screeched. "Demyx, there's a fire!"

Axel ran after her. "This is just not my day." He groaned.

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-snicker- Axel caught the castle on fire! Please don't forget to review! I'll get the next chapter up as soon as possible!


	4. Xembré's weapon

Alone Forever

Chapter four

Here's chapter four. I hope you like it, and thanks for reading!

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Axel was not in a good mood. Neither was Zexion. He, Axel, Demyx and Xembré were all soaking wet. Demyx obviously didn't mind, but Zexion, Xembré and Axel were all on short fuses. Zexion, attracted to the scene by Xembré's shout, had arrived shortly after Xembré, Axel and Demyx got back to his room. The four teens had fought the fire together, but Demyx had done most of the work. Despite that, the other three were exhausted. Xembré's face was smudged, her hair untidy. Axel's hair was lying flat; a thing most unusual for him, and his cloak had several scorch marks on it. Zexion, who had found time after the fire to dry his hair, was looking ruffled and fluffy again. His face was smudged as well, but other than that, he didn't look too bad. Xemnas had summoned the four teens to the meeting room and stood before Axel, arms crossed.

"You will pay for the damage yourself." He said to the shame-faced Axel. "And for any possessions that Zexion lost to the fire." Without another word, he stepped backwards into the portal that had appeared behind him and disappeared.

The silence that ensued was filled with antagonizing anger. Axel and Zexion glared at each other, but said nothing. Xembré and Demyx were silent as well, but Xembré wasn't really paying attention to what was going on. She was staring at the floor, a small frown on her face. Looking from Axel to Zexion, Demyx shifted uneasily. The silence was both unpleasant and uncomfortable.

Finally, Axel leaned heavily on the long table. "Where am I ever gonna find the munny to pay for all that?" He moaned in despair. Running a hand through his hair, he watched as Demyx leaned on the table next to him, and Xembré glanced sideways at him.

"You better find the munny." Zexion said icily. He folded his arms in front of him and continued to glare at Axel. Only when Xembré turned a hate-filled glare on him did he look away from Axel and glance at the girl. Her eyes flashed so furiously at him that he looked away quickly. He could hardly believe that, only the other day, she had looked at him so differently. Yesterday, that morning even, her eyes had held respect, adoration, even traces of fear. Now they held only anger and hatred.

After a moment, Zexion turned his eyes on Xembré again. "Why are you so mad at me, number XIII?" He asked, a small smirk coming onto his face. "No, don't tell me, you're mad because I'm acting like a jerk. You're trying to figure out how I can be so mean." His smirk widened as Xembré began trembling with rage. She knew, she just _knew,_ that Zexion had been reading her mind. "Well, I have a reason to be mad. It _was_ my room that burned!"

Xembré couldn't find a way to answer that. Axel and Demyx watched as she silently glared at Zexion. Demyx was concerned for his friends' safety. When Zexion was mad, he could be dangerous.

"You only lost your door, Zexion." Xembré finally managed to snarl.

"Do you have any idea how valuable a door is around this place?" Zexion asked, his voice rising slightly. "With Larxene sneaking around, I need a door! Now I've only got a blanket to separate me from a sadistic girl _and_ the rest of the Organization. And, it's pink! But, the thing that really gets me pissed is the fact that my room caught fire because of a fire ball that shouldn't even have left number VIII's room!" He narrowed his eyes at her, falling into an angry silence.

"Are you saying it's my fault?" Xembré snapped, her voice rising much quicker than Zexion's. "Are you saying I should have let the fireball hit me in the face?" The girl was so obviously angry, that Axel and Demyx wondered how Zexion could stand there smirking at her.

Xembré glared at Zexion, but he didn't reply. He simply smirked at her. Axel sighed, and stood straight. "Listen, not that this isn't _very_ entertaining, but I don't have time for this. I've got more important things to do." He slouched out of the room, followed closely by Demyx. Zexion, who was standing right next to the door, watched as the two boys left. But as Xembré started to follow them, he stepped in her way, blocking the door.

"You're confused again." He commented, smirking in a mocking way.

"It's not polite to read peoples' minds without their permission." Xembré said, gazing up at Zexion. She felt sure that he knew what she was confused about, but she was determined not to give him the satisfaction of seeing her get annoyed.

"You know, I'm confused about something as well." He advanced a pace, gazing intently at her. "Yesterday I was so sure you wanted a kiss. But now you don't seem to like me at all. Why is that?" His smirk was filled with so much amusement that Xembré hated him.

She tried to push past the teen, but, once again, he pushed her against the wall. His hands rested on the wall either side of her head, and he drew closer to her. "I know why," He whispered to her. "It's because you don't want to rush into things. You want the approval of your friends. If they were true friends, they would be happy with any choice you made. They wouldn't care if you loved me." All the time he was whispering, he was drawing closer and closer until their lips were just a fraction of an inch apart. But just as Xembré was thinking that they would surely kiss that time, Zexion backed away.

"Seeing as you're not one to rush into things, I shouldn't pressure you." He said. He pressed one quick, gentle kiss on her cheek, and then left, so suddenly, that Xembré stood motionless for minutes afterwards, her thoughts muddled and confused.

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Over the next few days, Axel became increasingly more and more hopeless. He didn't know where he was going to get the munny to pay for the damage. But, no matter how many times Xembré offered to, he wouldn't let her help him pay. She even tried persuading him to let her, but that didn't work. So she soon gave up trying.

During those days, Xembré tried her hardest to ignore Zexion. He was acting more and more like a jerk, popping up randomly to inquire whether Axel had gotten the munny yet, and threatening to tell Xemnas. However, he left Xembré pretty much alone. They talked a bit, but he didn't try to kiss her again, and he didn't mention the almost-kisses, which Xembré was thankful for. She would really rather not talk about it. She was still very confused, and she knew that whenever she was near Zexion, she was in danger of having her mind read. So, she put most of her energy and time into avoiding him.

Every day Xembré wore her hair a different way, but she still couldn't find a style to suit her. She'd tried every style she could think of, but no matter how many different ways she did her hair, she couldn't find something to please her.

One day, about a week after the fire incident, Axel and Demyx came knocking at Xembré's door. She had not been at breakfast, and seeing as it was already nine o'clock, the two boys had become a bit worried. Axel knocked loudly on Xembré's door, intending to inquire why she hadn't been at breakfast. But when she opened her door, the two teens stared at her, speechless. Her hair, the hair that had once cascaded down to her waist, was only shoulder length!

"What did you do to your hair?" Demyx exclaimed, staring at her with wide eyes.

Xembré smiled "I cut it." She replied. "Does it look alright?" The smile slipped off her face, and she gazed anxiously at her friends.

"It looks fine; Very becoming." The voice belonged to neither Axel nor Demyx. It belonged to Zexion. He had approached silently and unnoticed. When he spoke, Axel and Demyx jumped and whirled around. Xembré glared at him, trying to ignore the compliment. Judging by the way he was smirking, he was only mocking her.

"What do you want?" Axel snapped, glaring at the other teen.

"Temper, number VIII," Zexion calmly reprimanded Axel, turning his eyes on him for a moment. Then he turned to Xembré. "The Superior wants number II and I to figure out what your weapon is." He met her gaze, taking in her new hair cut. She had given herself side bangs that partially covered her right eye.

"Oh, yeah… Okay." Xembré said, her heart sinking. "Gimme a minute…" She disappeared into her room, slamming the door in their faces. Silence reigned over the three teens. No one spoke, but Axel glared suspiciously at Zexion.

While in her room, Xembré was nearly panicking. For nearly a week she had been avoiding Zexion, now she suddenly found out that it was his job to find out what her weapon was. She wasn't looking forward to working with Zexion, mostly because she was afraid he would read her mind. 

Looking in her mirror, she studied her reflection. Now that she thought about it, she had gotten the idea for side bangs from Zexion. She frowned, shaking the hair out of her face, and looking closer. Her blue eyes were flashing, but underneath the apprehension and anger, hidden deep beneath that and the usual cheerfulness, she was surprised to find a look of longing. She quickly closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. That was what Zexion had meant last week. When she looked him in the eyes, her longing was obvious. She had accidentally almost persuaded him to kiss her. Perhaps, if someone only looked her in the eye, when she was thinking hard about something, her powers would work automatically.

Shaking her head again, she sighed. She couldn't put it off much longer. Zexion was waiting for her, and no matter how much she loathed him at the moment, she had to go.

Xembré emerged into the hall a minute later with her hair pulled back in a pony tail. She gave Axel and Demyx a forced smile, and followed Zexion down the hall. They walked in silence for a bit, and the silence was crackling with enmity.

The walk to the training room seemed to take forever, but in reality it only took a few minutes. Xigbar was waiting in the training room for them, and when they entered, he immediately started the training session.

"Xembré, you and Zexion are going to fight. We're going to find out what your weapon is by way of physical stimulation." When Xembré cocked her head to one side, looking confused, he smiled slightly. "If you're in serious enough danger, you will automatically summon your weapon." Xembré nodded, frowning slightly. She had never approved of violence, but she supposed she would have to fight if she was going to survive.

Right away, she and Zexion squared up, preparing to fight. The girl was very nervous, that much was obvious, but she tried her best to hide it. She had no idea what her weapon was, or how to summon it, but she was going to try. Her knees were slightly bent, and she looked ready to spring into action. Zexion was not holding a weapon, and he was not in a fighting stance, which confused Xembré.

In the blink of an eye, a swarm of nobodies had appeared out of no where, enveloping the girl. She struggled, trying to fight off the swarm of dark creatures, but there were too many. She backed away, still trying to fight, but she was quickly tiring. With one final effort, she fought a few nobodies back. But she stumbled, the sheer mass of nobodies weighing her down. As she fell, she turned her stumble into a beautiful back roll. The roll however took her straight into a corner of the room. She nearly lost all hope as the nobodies engulfed her, but suddenly, she felt a great rush and tingle in her right arm, and she found herself holding a katana!

"Yes!" She couldn't keep the exclamation from escaping her throat. With renewed vigor, she leapt up, slashing at the nobodies. Slowly but steadily, she fought every single nobody. Soon, they were all gone.

"Well done!" Xigbar praised her. But before Xembré had time to catch her breath, Zexion had leapt in and engaged her in battle. He too was wielding a katana. Xembré was somewhat surprised by that, but she had no time to really ponder it. She had to use every ounce of her strength and endurance to keep fighting. The two sword wielding teens, thrusting and parrying, turned round and round, each trying to find an opening in the others' guard. A frown came onto Xembré's face as Zexion smirked at her. With a burst of fierce anger, she fought harder, but Zexion had the upper hand.

Finally, with one expert flick of his blade, Zexion disarmed Xembré, and he quickly brought his blade up to her throat. The point was only an inch away from her throat, and she gulped, eying his sword mistrustfully. She was breathing heavily, both from excursion and excitement. She knew what her weapon was! It didn't matter if Zexion had won. It was only her first fight, after all.

"Okay, that's enough for now." Xigbar said, and Zexion lowered his blade. "I expect to see you back here tomorrow, number XIII. Same time." With that, Xigbar disappeared into a portal.

As Zexion stepped back a pace, Xembré bent to pick up her own blade. She stared at it in awe. The blade was long and thin, shining silver. A thin groove ran the length of the blade, red in color. The red contrasted sharply with the silver of the blade. The red head of a dragon was embedded in the blade, right above the hilt. The hilt itself was black, and the body of the dragon twisted and twined around it, made from the same red material as the head on the blade. The entire thing was a work of art. The balance was perfect; it was light and quick in her hand. It was so perfect, that it was as though it had been forged specifically for her. _Well, it is my weapon… The weapon that only I can summon…_ Xembré thought, smiling.

Her examination of the weapon was interrupted when Zexion got rid of his katana. What looked like shadows engulfed his blade and it was gone. "You fight very well." He commented, watching as Xembré got rid of her weapon as well.

"Thank you," Xembré replied. Her uneasiness around Zexion had grown a lot in the last week, but he was being pleasant enough. Zexion crossed his arms, and watched as Xembré shifted from foot to foot. She was still wondering about several things, but she couldn't make up her mind to speak.

By unspoken consent, the two of them left the training room. They were still silent, and only their footsteps broke the endless quiet that filled the halls of the castle. Finally, something occurred to Xembré and she spoke. "Hey, last week, you said that reading peoples' minds is part of your power… Can you do something else?" Xembré avoided Zexion's eyes, confusion flooding her brain.

She had just been so mad at Zexion, that she'd enjoyed trying to beat the crap out of him. Now she was walking, as far as she could tell, back to her room with him. She wasn't sure why she was still with him, or why he was walking with her. Nothing seemed to make much sense to her, but it was probably something to do with the fact that she didn't have a heart. She supposed that since she didn't have a heart, her 'emotions' didn't last as long as they normally would.

Zexion snapped out of his silence, glancing sideways at Xembré. "I can shape shift." He said. "Which is why no one was surprised when I finally revealed my weapon…" Xembré blinked, frowning in slightly confusion. "I can wield any weapon of my choosing." Zexion explained patiently, a small smile coming onto his face.

"Oh, that's cool…" Xembré said. Without really thinking about what she was doing, she reached up and let her hair down. It fell to her shoulders, and her bangs immediately fell into her eye. She checked her watch, and was surprised to see that it was almost lunch time. Nearly three hours had passed in training!

Zexion seemed to be thinking along the same lines. "You know, it's almost lunch time," He said slowly. "You wanna go down there with me?" Silence followed his question, and Xembré didn't break it by speaking. She only nodded, shrugging nonchalantly.

Zexion immediately took a turn, and their course was set toward the kitchen. Their steps echoed around the halls, the only noise besides that being Xembré humming a small tune. She was smiling, and her shyness had almost gone. There seemed to be no need to break the silence, so she didn't. At least, not until she needed to. Something was weighing heavily on her mind, so when they were almost to the kitchen, she reached out to grab Zexion's arm, pulling him to a stop. He looked questioningly at her, but she wouldn't meet his eyes.

"You know…" She said slowly. She was gnawing her lip nervously, and she wouldn't look up at Zexion. "I kinda owe you an apology. I haven't been showing you proper respect lately… I shouldn't have gotten so mad at you and yelled at you last week… I'm sorry." She made a small bow. When she rose from her bow, she looked up and met Zexion's confused gaze.

He looked down at Xembré, raising an eyebrow at her, but didn't speak. She took his silence as an invitation to go on, and continued. "Also, I owe you a thank you, too…" She said, dropping her gaze again. "You don't torment me like the rest… Everyone, except you, Axel and Demyx, they torment me. They tease me and insult me until I lose my temper, then they tell me not to yell at my Superiors… You don't do that, so… Thanks."

Giving him a quick hug, she smiled and then dashed away into the kitchen. She left Zexion blinking in surprise. "Invading my personal space…" He muttered to himself. "Deplorable…" But however apathetic he tried to sound, a small smile was tugging at the corner of his mouth. He shook his head, and then entered the kitchen.

Xembré was already seated at the table with Axel and Demyx. She was proudly displaying her katana, but no one besides her two friends seemed to care. Xigbar was shaking his head while trying to ignore Demyx who was sitting right beside him. Luxord had started a game of poker with Xaldin, Saix and Marluxia. Zexion had no interest in playing cards, and since no one took any notice of him, he took a seat across the table from Xembré.

She was laughing with Axel and Demyx, and she paid no attention to Zexion. Demyx and Axel were bombarding her with questions. Had she kicked Zexion's butt? Did she have fun? Was Zexion still acting like a jerk? In the midst of all the questions, Xembré happened to look up and meet Zexion's gaze. A small smile lit up her face, but Zexion rolled his eyes and looked away, resting his chin in his hand. Xembré frowned, trying to figure out what she had done to make Zexion look at her like that. Had she said or done something to make him angry? She didn't think so, but he still looked as though he were mad at her.

Before Xembré could delve too deeply into her thoughts, Axel and Demyx distracted her. She was soon back to laughing and talking with them, and Zexion was driven from her mind. But through the entire meal, unknown to anyone but himself, Zexion stole glances at Xembré, an expression of displeasure on his face.

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Well, there's chapter four. Please don't forget to review. The next chapter should be up soon! I've got it half-written already! Thanks for reading, and I'm sorry for the delay… My computer hates me. –sigh-


	5. Tackle hugs!

Alone Forever

Chapter Five

Well, here's chapter five. I hope you like it, and thanks so much for reading!

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After that, Xembré trained with Zexion every day. Each day he used a different weapon, and every day they talked a little bit after the training session. She felt like their relationship was growing and developing, but something was bothering her. Every once in a while she would catch Zexion looking at her with that same displeased expression on his face. She couldn't see what she was doing to make him look at her like that, but he still did. What did she keep doing wrong?

One day, while they were training, something occurred to Xembré; something she'd never tried to do came to mind. Should she try it? A smirk crossed her face, but she had no time to dwell on her decision. She and Zexion were in the middle of a training session; Zexion was once again using his katana. The two teens whirled around the room, slashing, thrusting and striking, each trying their hardest to disarm the other and avoid getting chopped to ribbons.

With a rain of sparks, they locked blades, and Xembré's smirk widened before she replaced it with a worried look. "I don't want to fight you!" She said, staring anxiously up at him and looking him right in the eye.

"Nice try!" Zexion snarled, whirling away. They fought hard for another few minutes, and Xembré was mentally slamming her head against the wall. It hadn't worked! Fierce anger pulsed through her, and she fought harder. She would try again!

Again they locked blades, and again Xembré looked right into Zexion's eyes. "I don't want to fight!" She said, blinking as she looked apprehensively up at him. Zexion stared hard at her, frowning slightly. Quite on accident, he had fallen into the trap of her deep, blue eyes. They resembled deep pools of water, the highlights in them looking like light sifting through the depths. There was laughter in her eyes as she could feel her persuasion beginning to work. He nearly lowered his arm, but he snapped back into reality all of a sudden and tensed.

Suddenly, Zexion spun away from her, breaking eye contact. "Tough!" He snapped, shaking his head to clear it. What the _hell_ was he doing? Xembré wasn't going to persuade him that easily. Again they fought for a few minutes, but Zexion was fighting a lot harder. Xembré had to use all her skill to ward off his blows.

"I said, I don't want to fight you!" She cried, stumbling under the latest fierce onslaught. Tripping over her own feet, she fell hard to the floor, and Zexion's blade tip was at her throat. He stared down at her, watching as she relaxed her taught muscles.

"Get up," He snarled at her. His eyes never left her face, and Xembré took the opportunity to catch Zexion's eye.

"It's difficult to stand when you've got a sword at your throat." She commented, smiling up at him. Her smile seemed to aggravate him; his eyebrow twitched: a sure sign of anger. "So, would you like to let me up?" She asked, still smiling. She had him in her gaze, half her work was done. All she had to do was persuade him.

Never letting his gaze wander away from Xembré, Zexion stepped back a pace. As his blade was no longer pressing against her throat, Xembré was free to stand and retrieve her own katana. Xigbar was standing across the room with his arms crossed.

"Keep going!" He said, almost crossly. The daily training sessions were, to him, a waist of time. But that didn't mean he was going to slack off and not get the job done.

"She doesn't want to…" Zexion said slowly. Frowning slightly, he gazed at Xembré.

Xigbar closed his eyes, massaging his brow in frustration. "I don't give a damn what she wants to do. Just keep fighting!" He looked ready to pull his guns out at any second. Respectfully inclining her head, Xembré smiled.

"It's my fault he won't fight…" She said, glancing sideways at Zexion who was still frowning. "I used my persuasion to make him stop." She was still smiling when she raised her head to look at Xigbar. Xigbar rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"You're supposed to be fighting…" He said, and Xembré could tell that he was striving to keep his voice level. "Not persuading people not to fight."

Xembré shrugged nonchalantly. "I just thought, since I can persuade people; why not use it to stay out of fights." Still very respectful, she smiled.

Xigbar couldn't keep a half smile from coming onto his face. "That really is a good idea." He admitted, almost reluctantly. "But, The Superior wants you to know how to fight. So, let's keep the persuasion at a minimum. Alright?"

"Okay," Xembré inclined her head again, still smiling. Turning to Zexion, she saw that he was looking at her with a strange expression on his face. "What…?" She asked, feeling uncomfortable under Zexion's unblinking gaze.

Zexion shook his head. "I'll tell you later." He mumbled quietly. Xembré saw his eyes flick onto Xigbar, and reasoned that whatever Zexion had to say, he didn't want Xigbar over hearing. That thought made her feel uncomfortable. But, it couldn't be too horrible, could it?

For the rest of the training session, the two teens exchanged very few words. The silence was only broken by the clashing and clanging of the two katana blades. Xigbar shouted advice and tips to Xembré, who wished he wouldn't. If she tried to listen to Xigbar, she lost track of what she was doing in the fight. Multi-tasking wasn't one of her strong points.

After one particularly hard strike from Zexion, Xembré staggered, nearly falling. Taking advantage of her distraction, Zexion took his ferocity up a notch. This, coupled with the fact that Xembré had been fighting him for two hours straight, caused Xembré to collapse in exhaustion. Mouth open wide, gasping for breath, she stumbled back to her feet, but Zexion backed off.

"That's enough for today!" Xigbar was calling across the room at them. "Xembré, I like your determination. You keep going, even when you can't go any farther." In the split second that it took for Xembré to think of a reply, he was gone.

Smiling lightly at the compliment, Xembré turned to Zexion to find him watching her with that same look on his face. "Now are you going to tell me?" She asked good-naturedly, folding her arms and watching him, her eyes twinkling.

Zexion shrugged. "There's really not much to tell…" He said slowly, averting his eyes from her face. "But, there is something to ask." He paused, looking almost confused.

"What?" Xembré asked, smiling encouragingly at him. Her eyes held silent laughter. Zexion wasn't sure what she found so amusing, and that bothered him.

He ran a hand thoughtfully through his hair before speaking. "Well…" He paused again. "Nah, never mind." His eyes roved the room, looking for something else to talk about, or do, or anything that would relieve the silence.

Xembré, still smiling softly, took Zexion's hand. "Come on, let's go get some lunch." She said, her eyes shining brightly up at him. Though surprised, Zexion didn't yank his hand out of her grasp like he normally would. He blinked, and then followed as Xembré led him out of the room.

Walking through the halls of the castle, still silent, the two teens headed toward the kitchen. Though still holding Zexion's hand, Xembré wasn't afraid of meeting anyone in the halls. Zexion would no doubt be able to think of a reason for her to be holding onto his hand.

All of a sudden, a shout reverberated through the halls. "HEY!! XEMBRE!!" Xembré immediately recognized Axel's voice and dropped Zexion's hand. Giving her a look of derision, Zexion shook his head. She had basically just proved what he'd said before. She wanted the approval of her friends.

Axel dashed around the corner, a big grin on his face. "Hey, what's up?" He asked, falling into step with the other two teens. He practically ignored Zexion and had clearly aimed the question at Xembré.

"Oh, uh, not much." Xembré said, forcing a smile onto her face. "I just got done training and we're heading to lunch." Her smile, obviously fake, didn't fool Axel. He raised an eyebrow at her, but didn't comment on it. He was dying to ask her what was wrong, though.

Silently, the three teens walked together to the kitchen. At one point, they met Marluxia, but Axel quickly chased him off. "He's such a Pink kitty." Axel muttered under his breath.

Xembré couldn't resist. "What's a Pink Kitty?" She asked curiously, staring up at Axel.

Axel snickered. "It just means that he's a wuss." He said, still laughing. He continued to snicker to himself all the way to the kitchen, where he was distracted by a flying tackle-hug from Demyx.

"Ack! Demyx!" He exclaimed, stumbling backwards under the force of Demyx's hug. Paying absolutely no attention, Demyx launched himself at Xembré.

"Hi, Xembré!" He said, grinning at her. His hug was so fierce that he knocked Xembré backwards into Zexion. Grunting, Zexion wrapped his arms around Xembré to steady her and keep himself from falling. Demyx took no notice of this, and hugged Xembré tightly.

"Demyx, it's only been a few hours." Xembré blushed as she felt the eyes of the other members on her. She glanced up at Zexion who looked completely apathetic. He steadied her, and then left her side, sitting down at the far end of the table. Larxene was snickering unpleasantly behind her hand, and several other members were laughing as well. Some of the older members, like Xigbar, Luxord and Vexen, were trying to conceal their laughter, others, like Xaldin and Saix, were just watching with silent disapproval.

Gently, Xembré pulled herself out of Demyx's hug. His gloved hand found hers, and he pulled her toward the table where Axel had already seated himself, looking grumpy. Laughter still echoing in her ears, Xembré sat between Axel and Demyx. Eyes focused on the table, she watched as Demyx crossed to the fridge.

Her eyes found Zexion at the opposite end of the table. He was watching her again, with the same displeased expression on his face that Xembré had become accustomed to. A sinking feeling in the pit of Xembré's stomach made her feel sick.

Rising slowly from the table, she gave Axel and Demyx a half-smile. "I'm actually not that hungry." She said quietly.

Her feet felt like lead as she walked out of the kitchen; the weight in the pit of her stomach made it impossible for her to feel hungry. Footsteps behind her made her turn around, sighing heavily. But she didn't see Axel or Demyx. It was Zexion who was following her.

Another sigh escaped her as she met Zexion's gaze, and she turned right around again. Zexion's footsteps followed her until she reached her door. Then she paused, resting her forehead on the cool surface and closing her eyes for a moment before turning to face Zexion again.

"Do you want something, Zexion?" She asked heavily. The change that had come over her was startling. Her shoulders sagged, and her eyes were filled with sadness. Everything about her seemed droopy and depressed.

"I think I should be asking you that." Zexion replied smoothly, folding his arms. "Are you okay?" Something close to concern could be seen in his face as he drew closer to her.

A sad smile came onto her face as she looked at Zexion. "There are so many things that I want, it would take forever to name them all…" She sighed, lowering her gaze. "But, I'm alright. I'm just tired…"

Zexion looked as though he were about to say something, but Xembré cut him off. "Look, I'm really tired, so, I think I'm gonna take a nap. I'll see you…?" It was more a question, almost as though she were asking his permission to leave.

Nodding, Zexion gave her the ghost of a smile. "Of course you'll see me." He said quietly. "Perhaps sooner than you think." His gloved fingers grazed across her cheek for a split second, and then he was gone.

Once in her room, Xembré threw herself onto her bed. Her eyes fell on the calendar that hung beside her bed, and if she could have cried, she would have. It was her one year anniversary. If she hadn't been attacked, she would have been on a date with her boyfriend: getting dinner, watching movies while snuggling on the couch. But she had no one now.

Axel was right, she was struggling with emotion. She was lonely. Sure, she had friends, very good friends, too. But she missed her former life: Her school, her boyfriend, her friends, her family, everything. She missed it all.

Turning her head, she stared blankly at the wall. One arm slowly slipped underneath her head, and she turned on her side, still staring at the wall. A drawing of she, Demyx and Axel was on the wall opposite her. Pain obvious in her face, she closed her eyes.

Through the rest of the day, she remained in her room, thinking things over. The thoughts chased each other round and round in her head until she was dizzy and confused. When she finally fell asleep, her sleep was disturbed by dreams, and she tossed and turned, muttering to herself in her sleep.

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Well… There's chapter five. It's, kinda weird, and a little shorter than some of the other chapters, but that's it. Please don't forget to review, and I'd like to say, thanks for all the reviews I've gotten so far! Your support means a lot to me, and keeps me writing!

I forgot: Thanks to my friend Liv for letting me use her idea for Zexion's weapon. The credit for the idea goes to you, Liv, and thanks so much for letting me use it!!!


	6. Midnight reassurance

Alone Forever

Chapter Six

Here's the sixth chapter! Thanks again for reading and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

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"Axel…?" Xembré's voice broke uninvited into Axel's dream. "Axel, are you awake?" Poking him in the back, Xembré woke Axel fully.

The girl was still dressed in her cloak, but she had taken off her boots, and was wearing pale pink socks. Her hair was pulled back in a loose pony tail to keep it out of her face. Her hands were ungloved, and she was fingering the zipper on her cloak distractedly.

"What the hell do you want?" Axel snapped, rolling over and glaring up at the girl. "It's freaking," he paused as he glanced at his clock. "Two in the morning!" He took no notice of the upset expression on Xembré's face. Waking Axel at two o'clock in the morning was not wise, and one couldn't often expect good results.

"Axel, I'm… lonely." Xembré said, forcing the words out with some difficulty. She looked as close to tears as a Nobody could be, and as Axel groaned, she perched on the side of his bed.

"Xembré, you're a Nobody, you _can't_ be lonely!" He snapped, ignoring the pitiful look she gave him.

Sniffing, she ran a hand through her hair, avoiding Axel's gaze. "I know, but can't I want company?" She asked, her bottom lip trembling.

"Sure, you can want company. But want it some other time!" With that, Axel turned over, pulling the covers over his head. He paid no attention to the weight resting on the bed beside him, and soon he had fallen asleep again.

Sighing, Xembré stood and wandered to Axel's door. Just as she opened it, Axel rolled over in his sleep, mumbling: "Got it memorized…?" Sending one last glare at Axel, she closed his door with a snap. Once out in the hall, she paused, wondering where to go next. Nervously gnawing her lip, she stood perfectly still, peering about in the darkness. Then, her mind made up, she strode carefully down the hall, letting her hand brush lightly against the wall so she knew where she was.

When she reached the door of her choice, she knocked lightly. But there was no answer, so she opened it slowly. Glancing around the room, she spotted Demyx lying in bed, obviously asleep.

"Demyx…?" She whispered, hoping to wake him easier than Axel. Demyx stirred, rolling over in his sleep. "Demyx, are you awake?" It seemed silly to ask that, seeing as she already knew the answer, but she figured she might as well anyway.

The darkness made it difficult to maneuver around everything that was scattered on the floor of Demyx's room. A sharp pain lanced through her foot as she kicked something, nearly tripping and falling. She just barely got her balance in time to avoid it, and had to clap a hand to her mouth to stop herself from crying out. Reaching the side of Demyx's bed safely, minus the ache in her foot, she stared down at him. He looked so innocent when he was asleep, Xembré couldn't keep a smile from crossing her face.

He let out a mumbled: "Not now, I'm busy." and rolled over again. Deciding that Demyx wasn't going to wake up, Xembré left the room, again nearly tripping and falling.

Once again outside in the hall, Xembré continued to gnaw her lip. The only other option she had was to go see Zexion. She wasn't sure how Zexion would react to being woken so late at night. But, if she wanted company, she had no other choice.

So, very hesitantly, she started toward Zexion's room. She paused outside, hesitating. Taking a deep breath, she held it for a moment, and then let it out before lifting her hand to rap on the door.

Unexpectedly, an irritated voice answered her knock. "What?"

"Zexion…?" Xembré called quietly, her voice shaking. "It's Xembré…"

There was silence from the other side of the door, and then, quite suddenly, the door opened. Zexion stood in his door way, looking both grumpy and a little bit curious. "What do you want?" He snapped. He was clad in a pair of black pants and wasn't wearing a shirt, but Xembré took no notice of that.

Gazing up at him, she forced words out of her mouth. "I'm lonely…" She said, with just the tiniest hint of a whimper in her voice.

Zexion rolled his eyes, and stepped back to close his door. "Then go see Axel or Demyx." He snarled. His door was almost closed when Xembré threw herself at it, preventing him from closing it all the way.

"I already did!" She said, staring reproachfully up at him. Her eyes glistened and Zexion paused, staring down at her. "But Axel got mad at me for waking him up, and Demyx wouldn't wake up at all. Please, can I come in…?" Her question was hesitant and her voice was shaking.

A frustrated sigh escaped Zexion, and he closed his eyes to avoid Xembré's gaze. He could feel her trembling, and when he opened his eyes again, she was still watching him.

"Fine." Zexion snapped, opening his door all the way again. "But don't expect to stay here all night." When Xembré stepped into his room, he closed the door behind her, and, taking no further notice of her, crossed the room to his bed and climbed in. He had apparently been reading in bed when Xembré had arrived, and he planned on doing that now.

Xembré stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, looking around. It was furnished in black; even the floor was black tile, but white rugs were scattered across the floor. Staring around, Xembré wandered casually closer to Zexion.

The book in Zexion's hands was one of Xembré's favorites. She couldn't resist leaning in for a closer look, to see what part Zexion was at. "Oh, you're there?" She asked, glancing sideways at Zexion. His lips were pursed, and it looked as though he was trying to ignore the girl whose cheek was nearly touching his own, and failing miserably.

"Yes." He said shortly. "Why, have you read this book?" His eyes flicked from the page onto Xembré for a brief moment, and then back to the book.

Nodding, Xembré seated herself on the edge of the bed. "Several times." She said, smiling. A comfortable silence followed, and Xembré shifted into a more comfortable position, her eyes still on the book in Zexion's hands. She had become absorbed in her favorite book, and took little notice of what was going on around her. Her legs curled underneath her, she leaned closer to Zexion as one of her favorite parts started in the book. She was holding her breath, and her eyes were wide as she became more and more absorbed. The only time the silence was broken was when Zexion inquired whether or not she was ready to turn the page.

When the door suddenly burst open, Xembré jumped, nearly falling off the bed. She realized, with a start of surprise and embarrassment, that her fingers had laced with Zexion's. The sight of Axel, looking shocked and surprised, didn't make her feel any better.

"AGH!" Axel yelped, clapping a hand over his eyes. "My young innocent eyes!" His yell was so loud that Xembré was surprised he hadn't woken the whole castle. Hastily letting go of Zexion's hand, she leapt up off the bed, panicking slightly.

"Axel, you're older than I am." Zexion commented dryly. He remained in his bed, but his eyes flicked onto Xembré where she stood in the middle of his room, trembling and blushing. Though he was inwardly looking for any possible escape route, on the outside he was as calm and apathetic as usual.

Peeking through a gap in his fingers, Axel glared at Zexion. "Fine. My _old _innocent eyes." He paused, looking confused. "But, I'm not old either!" He howled in frustration. "I mean, if I'm old, then Xigbar must be ancient!" Slowly regaining his composure, he fixed his emerald gaze on Xembré. He looked ready to start telling her off, but he never got the chance.

"Who says I'm old!" A voice shouted from the hall. "I'm only twenty nine!" Xigbar stood framed in the doorway, his arms crossed and an angry scowl on his face. The darkness in the hall only added to the intimidation that radiated from him.

Xembré sank onto Zexion's bed, letting out a faint whimper. No one took any notice of the frightened girl though, because both Zexion and Axel were looking at Xigbar. Letting a smirk cross his face, Axel shook his head at Xigbar.

"Dude, I'm eighteen. You're _old_." He said bluntly. Xembré was still trembling, and she looked from Axel to Xigbar, her eyes wide. The feel of a hand resting on her shoulder made her start and look around. Zexion gave her a gentle smile and squeezed her shoulder reassuringly before slipping out of the bed and planting himself firmly between Axel and Xigbar.

"Well, if I'm old, then that makes Saix _really_ old!" Xigbar was saying. Zexion rolled his eyes. He would never get into such a childish argument.

Xembré flinched as another, harsher voice entered the fray. She had only heard that voice once before, and after that experience she always tried to avoid the man. "Excuse me?" Saix snapped, entering the room. "I am _not_ old. I'm only thirty-three." The blue-haired man crossed his arms, glaring around at the other three men.

An angry argument broke out, and Xembré, still trembling, tried to make herself as small as possible. But, as the voices grew louder and she realized that they were really fighting about nothing, and weren't going to start killing each other, she relaxed, watching with slight interest.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Axel said suddenly, raising a hand to stop the argument. "Where's Xembré? She's the whole reason I was here in the first place!" A quick glance around the room was all that was needed to locate the girl. She was fast asleep in Zexion's bed; sleeping as peacefully as though there weren't four men arguing right next to her.

Axel raised a finger to his lips, shushing the three higher ranks. "She'll have to stay here tonight." He whispered. The fight seemed to be forgotten, seeing as Xigbar nodded. Saix was already gone. "If we wake her, this whole thing will start all over again!" His logic was greeted with another approving nod from Xigbar.

But Zexion stepped up then. "She is _not _going to sleep in my bed!" He said in a loud whisper. "I won't—" He stopped abruptly as Xigbar raised a hand.

"She's got to." Xigbar said firmly. "And I, as number two, order you to let her sleep here tonight, and not disturb her." He left as soon as the words had passed his lips, leaving Zexion with his mouth open in silent fury.

Axel gave Zexion a smirk, and then slipped away back to his own room. "Good night!" He called sarcastically back over his shoulder. He left Zexion standing with his mouth hanging open and looking, for the first time in Axel's memory, completely speechless.

In the silence that followed Axel's departure, Zexion closed his door. Then he turned to face, from his expression, his imminent doom. Xembré was still sleeping peacefully, small traces of a smile on her face. As Zexion approached the bed, she sighed in her sleep, stirring restlessly. She looked so sweet and innocently childish when she was asleep, that Zexion couldn't keep a half-smile from crossing his face briefly.

His fingers traced the soft curve of her cheek, and she stirred again, shifting position so she was lying flat on her back. Moving his fingers lightly from her cheek to her forehead, he brushed some stray strands of hair out of her face. Then, moving as though he were in a trance, he bent over her and pressed his lips gently against hers before sliding into the queen-size bed beside her.

Finding her hand under the silk sheets, he grasped it, squeezing gently. "Good night." He murmured, his eyes already half-closed as sleep over took him.

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A sleepy sigh escaped Xembré as she woke the next morning. _It's too warm and comfortable to get up…_ She thought, and she snuggled closer to the source of the warmth, eyes shut tight. _I'll just lay here for a while._ The decision seemed like a good one, until someone began stroking her hair. She barely registered the fact that the something warm lying in bed beside her was a person. But as she slowly woke all the way, the events of the night before rushed into her head.

Her eyes flickered open, and she squinted blearily up at whoever was lying next to her. Blue-black hair; dark indigo eyes; a satisfied smirk; she was lying in bed with Zexion! Her eyes snapped all the way open, and with a yelp like an injured dog, she rolled away from Zexion and fell to the floor with a thump.

There she sat on the floor, rubbing her head and staring at Zexion over the edge of the bed. He was sitting propped up on pillows and was watching her with a calculating expression on his face. The silence that reigned in the room was filled with awkward embarrassment and also confusion. Looking around the room, Xembré ran a hand through her hair, looking sleepy and confused. She made no effort to rise from her position on the floor, but she did shift her position so her legs were underneath her.

"I was wondering when you would wake up." Zexion said, almost playfully. He smirked, but Xembré wouldn't look at him. She was gnawing her lip nervously, and determinedly avoiding his gaze.

Seeing that she was in no mood to joke, Zexion rose and crossed the room to his dresser, which was black just like everything else in the room. He pulled out a black T-shirt and pulled it on over his head. Then he slipped into his cloak. Xembré was still sitting motionless on the floor, and took no notice when Zexion sat on the edge of the bed to put on his boots, so close to her that he could feel her trembling.

"Come on," He said softly, standing. "Let's go down to breakfast." He offered her his hand, and after a moment's hesitation, she grasped it, letting him help her to her feet. When she was standing they were so close that they were nearly touching. She looked deep into Zexion's indigo eyes, and he returned her gaze, examining her face. After a few minutes, Zexion stepped back a pace.

No words were spoken as the two teens stared toward the door. Catching sight of a glint of silver, Zexion stood to pick of the shining object.

"Is this yours?" He asked, examining the object. The thing was a necklace, and a pretty one, too. The chain was heavy, and more a bronze color rather than silver like Zexion had thought at first. The pendant hanging from it was a small bottle containing blue glitter and encased in the same material that the chain was made from. The metal was twisted and molded into intricate shapes, which resembled, as far as Zexion could tell, fairies and flowers. The glitter was almost as blue as Xembré's eyes.

"Yes!" Xembré's voice, much harsher than Zexion had ever heard it before, broke the silence. "Yes, it's mine. Give it to me, please." Her voice now sounded strained, and a strange expression came onto her face as she held her hand out for the necklace.

"It must have fallen off sometime last night." Zexion commented calmly, moving around behind Xembré. She shivered as his fingers brushed lightly over the back of her neck, shifting her hair out of his way. Feeling him so close behind her made her feel nervous and uncomfortable. He slowly slipped the chain around her neck and clasped it, but didn't move from his position behind her. His warm breath tickled her ear as he whispered to her: "This necklace is very special to you."

Stiffening, Xembré took a deep breath. The feel of Zexion nuzzling her neck failed to send the shivers of pleasure down her spine that she usually felt when he was near her. "Yes. It is." She said shortly.

She turned, shoving Zexion away from her, a closely guarded expression on her face. "Stay out of my head!" She snapped, and then stomped away.

The halls of the castle were noisier than usual, and Xembré met several people on the way to her room. But she ignored them, and they her, so everyone was happy. Xembré only stopped her relentless march through the castle when she ran smack-dab into something very solid.

"Sorry!" Demyx cried, looking as though he were trying to stifle a laugh. Xembré didn't reply, and he couldn't see her face because her head was bent and her hair was hiding her face. He grasped her hand and pulled her to her feet, but instead of the expected smile and cheerful greeting, the girl threw her arms around Demyx, burying her face in his chest.

Startled and concerned, Demyx wrapped his arms around Xembré, holding her close. "Are you okay?" He asked, his voice muffled by her hair. She was trembling and her breath came in ragged gasps.

Xembré didn't answer right away. She let her heart rate slow and took a deep breath before she trusted herself enough to speak. "I-I'm fine…" She said, with something close to a sob in her voice. Despite all her efforts to sound nonchalant and cheerful, her voice still trembled. She clutched Demyx's sleeve, the desire to be close to a loved one overpowering.

They stood that way for a few more minutes, and Xembré's breathing slowly became steadier. Demyx stroked his friends hair, silently letting her know that he was there for her. When Xembré had calmed considerably, she pushed herself out of Demyx's arms to look up at him, shaking her hair out of her eyes.

The question in Demyx's eyes was obvious, but before he could voice the question, Xembré answered it. "I'm okay." She said quietly, passing a hand over her face as though trying to wipe away her grief. "I just, really needed a hug right now." A tiny smile came onto her face, but Demyx could see in her eyes that she was still very unhappy. He grasped her hand, and giving it a light squeeze, he started pulling her down the hall.

"Come on," He said cheerfully. "Let's go get some breakfast. I'm starved!"

What would have turned into a head-long rush to the kitchen was stopped short when Xembré pulled on Demyx's arm, bringing him to a halt. "We need to stop at my room first." She grinned up at him, trying her best to look and sound happy. "I need to get my boots and gloves."

Reluctantly, Demyx followed Xembré to her room, pouting. He hesitated in her doorway, watching as she dashed around the room, searching frantically for her boots and gloves. "You can come in, you know." She told him, pausing her search long enough to give him a smile. "My room isn't booby-trapped." So Demyx stepped into the room, looking around. He'd never been in Xembré's room before. The walls were covered in drawings; most of them were of the Organization. But some of the drawings were of people Demyx didn't know.

"Who's that?" Demyx asked while staring with interest at a drawing of a boy he didn't know. It was one of the few colored drawings on the walls. The boy had blonde hair that was kind of long and shaggy. His eyes were blue, and a small smile was hovering around his mouth. He looked like someone who would laugh readily, but was generally very quiet.

Emerging from under her bed, where she had finally succeeded in finding both her boots and her gloves, Xembré glanced at the picture that Demyx was still examining. "His name's Trevor." She said, and Demyx noted the strange tone she used. "He was my… friend. Before I was attacked by the heartless."

She sat on the edge of her bed, a far away look in her eyes as she pulled on her boots. When she noticed that Demyx was still looking at the pictures, she smiled softly to herself and stood. She moved to stand beside him and indicated a few more pictures.

"Those are my other friends." She said, the same far away look in her eyes. "Nick: my best friend." She pointed at a drawing of a boy who had dark brown curls and laughing brown eyes. "Olivia: my other best friend." She pointed to a girl with brown hair and brown eyes who looked like some sort of crazy fan girl. "Tim: A really good friend of mine." Pointing to a drawing of a boy with dark hair and eyes almost as blue as her own, Xembré laughed. "You remind me of Tim." She said, looking up at Demyx.

She fell silent then, still looking at the drawings of the friends she had left behind.

"You miss them, don't you?" Demyx asked Xembré timidly. He received a nod in reply, but nothing more. He turned his eyes on the drawings again, and smiled as he caught sight of a drawing of himself. Starting, he felt Xembré's fingers lace with his own, and he glanced sideways at Xembré. She staring at the floor, her shoulders sagged and she looked thoroughly depressed.

Casting around in his mind for any way to comfort his friend, Demyx began gnawing his lip. Fortunately, he was saved from the task of cheering up Xembré when she looked up at him and smiled. "Come on," She said, pulling him toward the door. "What about that breakfast?"

---

Breakfast was a simple affair. It consisted of cereal, but something didn't seem right. The few members of the Organization who were in the kitchen, kept glancing at Xembré, or snickering unpleasantly when they thought she wasn't paying attention. The thing that made Xembré most uncomfortable was the fact that when she and Demyx had entered the kitchen, Axel had been surrounded by some other members of the Organization and was whispering excitedly to them.

Zexion stood at the counter, making himself a cup of tea, but Xembré averted her gaze from him, tossing her hair. Zexion took no notice of her anger, however, and began stirring his tea lazily.

Seating herself beside Axel, Xembré rested her head on the table. Her eyes closed, and she sighed heavily. "Zexion's such a jerk." She said suddenly, lifting her head. "He thinks he can get away with anything, even though I've never even expressed the wish to get together with him…" Axel fidgeted beside her, but she didn't notice because she was too busy glaring at Zexion, who was still stirring his tea, staring distractedly into his mug.

"Wait, what?!" Demyx exclaimed indignantly, realizing what Xembré had just said.

"Nothing, Demyx." Xembré snapped, sighing impatiently. "God, you remind me of my brother." She glared fixedly at the table top, avoiding Demyx's gaze. She didn't need someone worrying about her. That was one of the only things she didn't miss about her former life. Someone was always nagging her, telling her what to do, who to be friends with, who not to see, and everything.

It took Xembré only a few minutes to eat, and as soon as she was done, she leapt up from her chair. "I'll see you guys later!" She called over her shoulder as she dashed out of the kitchen.

Unknown to anyone but himself, Zexion watched Xembré until she was out of sight, his arms folded and a scowl on his face. If anyone had looked at him then, they would have known that he was thinking hard, every single ounce of his attention focused on whatever he was thinking about.

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Hmmm… Well, here's chapter six. I hope you enjoyed it, and thanks for reading! Don't forget to review! I'll get the next chapter up as soon as possible!


	7. Taking a walk

Alone Forever

Chapter Seven

Well, here's chapter seven, guys! I hope you like it! Thanks again for reading this story of mine, and thanks for the reviews I've gotten so far!

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Later that same day Xembré was digging frantically through her dresser and closet, looking for something to wear. Zexion had just been to see her, and had asked her, while shifting his weight nervously from foot to foot, whether she would like to go for a walk with him.

Still being very unhappy and angry at Zexion, she had declined and slammed the door in his face. Sitting back on her heels, she stared into space while remembering, with slight pleasure, what had taken place only moments ago.

-

_The pounding on her door was becoming almost unbearable. But still she tried her best to ignore it, leaning heavily on the door, her arms folded and a defiant, rebellious look on her face. Quite suddenly, the pounding stopped, but Zexion began speaking. His voice was low, like the soft purring of a cat. Xembré, unfortunately, was not going to let Zexion sweet talk her._

_"Leave me alone, you bastard!" She yelled through the door. Giving vent to her anger by swearing was not something she often did. But this time it felt good to swear. Especially since she was swearing at Zexion. _

_After a brief silence, Zexion spoke again. This time his voice held frustration, anger, and even… pain? "Why are you mad at me? What did I do?" _

_That was too much for Xembré. She whirled around, slamming the door open, and found herself facing a confused, frustrated and angry Zexion. "Why don't you just read my mind?" She asked, scorn and mockery in her voice. "You didn't have a problem with it earlier." She glared angrily at him, her arms folded and that defiant look still on her face. _

_Zexion blinked in surprise. "That's why you're mad at me? Because I read your mind?" He asked skeptically, a minute amount of suspicion on his face. _

_"No, Zexion!" Xembré replied sarcastically. "I'm mad because you didn't read my mind! Yes, that's why!" She continued to glare at him, but this time as he looked her in the eye Zexion thought he saw, hidden deep under the anger, pain and grief. _

_Wisely, Zexion remained silent, looking thoughtful. It was a look Xembré had often seen on his face, and for some reason it always sent unpleasant shivers down her back. The silence was absolute, except for the impatient tapping of Xembré's foot. _

_"Alright," Zexion spoke, abruptly coming out of his silence. "If that's how you feel about it, I won't read your mind any more, unless absolutely necessary." _

_Xembré scoffed at that. _

_"I mean it," Zexion said, looking hurt. He ran a hand through his hair, his eyes scanning the area for anything that might give him inspiration._

_One slender eyebrow arched, Xembré stared suspiciously at Zexion. "Promise…?" Her tone was full of surprise, but it was obvious that she didn't believe him. _

_"Indeed" Zexion purred, leaning in close to her. He feathered his lips across hers, but felt her shy away, preventing any contact. His frustration was well hidden as he looked down at the frowning girl. "So, would you like to accompany me on a walk?" He asked again, his voice still low. _

_A pause followed his words, and then Xembré shrugged. "Okay." She said simply. No emotion could be seen in her face anymore, and Zexion soon saw why. Loudly discussing something, Marluxia and Luxord passed the two teens. _

_"I doubt we'll get them to." Marluxia was saying. Neither of the two men paid any attention to Xembré or Zexion. _

_Luxord just shook his head. "We will if we use the right persuasion." He said, knowingly tapping the side of his nose. _

_By the time their footsteps died away in the distance, Xembré, taking full advantage of Zexion's distraction, had stepped backward a few paces, lengthening the distance between them. _

_Turning to look at Xembré again, Zexion smirked at her. "You know, number thirteen, it is Friday…" He said, some of his old sly seduction back in his voice. _

_"Casual dress Friday…" Xembré mused, her eyes on the floor. "You're still wearing your cloak." She commented, her eyes traveling upwards from Zexion's boots and coming to rest on his face. _

_"Well then, I'll make a deal with you." Zexion purred, and Xembré could hear the self-satisfaction in his voice. "I'll change into something more _casual_ if you will." Something about the way he said 'casual' with extra emphasis made Xembré doubt her decision._

_"Well… Okay!" She said, pasting a happy grin on her face. "I'll be ready in a minute." She turned and entered her room, tossing her hair and still smiling. _

-

Still smiling, Xembré stood and slipped out of her cloak. The outfit she wore underneath was plain and simple: a pink tank-top and jeans. It would never do to wear on the walk. The weather was turning chilly, so she had chosen a shirt that was a bit warmer. The jeans stayed on, but she pulled the tank-top off over her head. Just as she was about to slip into the other shirt –a navy blue, long-sleeved shirt- she heard a knock at her door.

"Xembré!!" She recognized Axel's voice at once. "Xembré, it's important!"

Throwing a look over her shoulder at the door, Xembré did some quick thinking. "Come in!" She called. Axel opened the door immediately, and, however quickly Xembré tried to pull her shirt on, he caught a glimpse of her bare back and flushed scarlet.

Quickly checking that she looked alright, she turned to look at Axel. "Axel, what's…?" She stopped in mid-sentence when she saw Axel's blushing face and realized the fact that he was wearing nothing but boxers! "What the heck is going _on_?!" She asked, trying desperately to keep a blush from rising in her own cheeks. For Axel's sake she turned around again, closing her eyes briefly.

"They made us play strip poker!" Axel said. He sounded as though all hope and will had gone out of him. He stood awkwardly in Xembré's doorway, trying to look as though he frequently walked around the castle in his boxers and wasn't embarrassed. "Demyx is still back there. I couldn't save him. I almost didn't get away myself."

Lost for words, Xembré cast about in her mind for anything to say or do. "Who made you?" She asked finally, still carefully keeping her back to Axel. "And close the door, someone might see you!" Axel did so, but he strayed no farther from the door.

"Luxord and Marluxia did." He said, the tiniest hint of a growl in his voice. "They made us play. They threatened us." His emerald eyes sparked with annoyance, but other than that small sign of anger, he looked thoroughly depressed.

A sudden thought occurred to Xembré, and she turned around, despite the boxer-clad Axel who was still blushing. "Did you say Demyx is still there?" She asked, alarm in her face. When Axel nodded, she looked even more alarmed. "Stay here, find a blanket or something, and wait until I get back!" She spoke hastily as she hurried out the door.

Footsteps echoing through the now empty halls, Xembré rushed toward Luxord's room. She was so distracted that she almost walked right by it, but a loud whimper that obviously came from Demyx caught her attention. Every thought of Zexion had been shoved roughly out of her mind.

Her knock was firm, and brought immediate quiet from the room behind. "Who is it?" Luxord called, and he sounded strained.

Xembré didn't answer. She slammed the door open, and nearly collapsed from shock. The scene that met her eyes was not pleasant. Demyx, Luxord, Marluxia, Larxene and Xaldin were all sitting around a poker table. Luxord was still fully dressed, but Xaldin was without a shirt, Larxene was wearing no cloak, and poor Demyx had stripped down to his boxers. He smiled in relief when Xembré came barging in and leapt up from his seat.

"You came to save me!" He cried, dashing forward and hugging her tightly. Despite the fact that he was nearly naked, Xembré couldn't find his hug embarrassing. He was just too cute when he looked relieved.

"Get your stuff, and Axel's." She said, giving him a smile while affectionately ruffling his hair. She said nothing to the other members, but glared at them all reproachfully while Demyx gathered up the clothes. When he was came back to her side, she left without another word, Demyx tagging along behind her, trying to pull on his pants and walk at the same time.

When they reached Xembré's room Demyx had succeeded in putting on his pants and keeping up with Xembré at the same time. Xembré slowed as she neared her room and listened. Angry voices were coming from her room and one of the voices was Zexion's.

Demyx hovering behind her, she pushed her door open. Axel and Zexion were standing nose to nose, shouting at each other. Axel's face was red, whether from fury or for some other reason Xembré couldn't tell, and he had clearly forgotten that he was clad only in boxers.

"…you ungrateful ingrate!" Axel finished his sentence at the same instant that Xembré opened her door. "She..." He broke off when he saw Xembré standing in her doorway.

"That's rather redundant." She commented calmly, advancing on the pair so menacingly that Axel stepped back a pace. "The word 'ingrate' means 'ungrateful person', so you basically just called Zexion an ungrateful ungrateful person." Her voice was pleasant, but her face suddenly hardened. "Now what's going on?" She frowned, switching her gaze from Axel, who looked guilty, to Zexion, who had rearranged his features to look apathetic as usual.

"Nothing," The two boys said in unison. Axel sent an annoyed glare at Zexion, which was ignored. Demyx stared uneasily from Xembré to Zexion to Axel and then back at Xembré.

Looking suspiciously from Axel to Zexion again, Xembré shrugged and flopped down on her bed. "Okay." She said, resigned to the fact that something was going on that she didn't know about. "Axel, put some clothes on." She closed her eyes, massaging her brow in frustration while Axel pulled his pants on, still giving Zexion angry glares.

Zexion folded his arms and looked away from Axel, scowling. "I see you've made yourself a calendar." He said, for lack of anything better to say. Xembré had indeed made herself a calendar. The month of September featured Demyx strumming his sitar. He had a devilish grin on his face, something that Xembré had never had the pleasure of seeing, but had often amused herself imagining.

"Yeah," Xembré said, looking up just long enough to glance at the calendar. "Each month features a different member of the Organization." She explained, seeing the look on Zexion's face as he continued to stare at the drawing of Demyx. "Since there are twelve members, not counting me, it works perfectly!" She smiled wryly, glancing at Axel and Demyx who were now fully dressed.

Her two friends were looking at the other drawings covering the walls. "You draw really well," Axel said thoughtfully, smiling when he saw the picture of him, Demyx and Xembré. The three of them were standing together; Demyx's arms were around Xembré, and Xembré had attached herself to Axel's arm to prevent him from tackling Demyx. All together, the three of them looked very happy.

"Thanks," Xembré replied. "Do you want to see what I'm working on right now?" She stood up without waiting for an answer and crossed to her desk where she opened a drawer and carefully took out a sketchpad. Caressing the cover fondly, she returned to the bed and Axel, Demyx, and Zexion gathered around to look.

"It's, me…" Zexion said slowly, staring at the picture of himself.

"Mmmmhmm," Xembré smiled up at him. "But, I can't decide what weapon you should be holding." She stared hard at the picture, frowning slightly.

Zexion seated himself on the edge of the bed beside her, gazing at the drawing with something close to admiration on his face. "Don't give me a weapon." He said decisively. "I prefer not to fight if I can help it."

Xembré was about to reply, but Axel cut her off. "Yep, that's Zexy for ya; he's too cowardly to fight. He's too cowardly to even say what's on his mind." He glared pointedly at Zexion. Demyx seemed completely unaware of what was going on. He was looking at a drawing of Marluxia. Marluxia held a small, fluffy, pink kitten in his arms, and Demyx obviously understood what it meant because he was chuckling quietly to himself.

Zexion leapt up from his seat on the bed, confronting Axel. "Don't you dare call me a coward!" He said, his voice dangerously low. "What's on my mind is my business, no one else's." His eyes flicked onto Xembré as he said that, and Axel smirked.

"Okay, whatever, Zexy." Axel said, still smirking. He folded his arms, looking satisfied with himself. "Maybe I should say it for you!" He opened his mouth to say whatever it was that Zexion didn't want anyone to know, but didn't get the words out because Zexion tackled him to the ground, and before Axel could react, he had a knife at his throat.

Zexion sat astride Axel, who was pressing himself as flat against the floor as possible. "If you do, you'll wish you had never been born by the time I'm done with you." Zexion hissed through clenched teeth. The knife blade nicked Axel's skin and a drop of blood appeared. Axel gulped.

"Hey, guys, stop!" Xembré shouted, tossing her sketchpad aside as she stood. "Zexion, stop it! Let him up!" She grabbed Zexion's arm, pulling him off of Axel, and glared reproachfully at him. "Zexion, what do you think you're doing?" She asked, anger and slight fear in her face.

Zexion didn't answer. He looked down at Xembré, looking just as calm and uncaring as he always did when he was trying to hide his thoughts. Xembré tried to penetrate the endless abyss of his eyes, but couldn't manage it; they were so deep, so dark, that Xembré was almost afraid to become lost in his gaze.

Throwing a glance over her shoulder, Xembré saw that Demyx had helped Axel to his feet. Axel was massaging his throat, glaring daggers at Zexion all the while. Demyx looked frightened. A light touch on her shoulder brought her attention back to Zexion.

"I believe you said you would go for a walk with me." He said, his eyes searching her face.

Xembré ran a hand through her hair, sighing. "I did, didn't I…?" She said distractedly. Her eyes fell on Axel, who was staring at her in disbelief. "Hey guys," She said, turning to face them. "I told Zexion I would go for a walk with him." She explained, even though she knew they had heard. "So, we can hang out later, alright?" Demyx nodded, smiling cheerfully. Axel shrugged.

When her two friends had gone, Xembré turned to Zexion again. "Where were we going to walk?" She asked, feigning cheerfulness. She cocked her head to one side while watching Zexion ponder the question.

"We could just walk around the grounds," He said at last, shrugging. Xembré smiled and nodded and together the two teens left the room. They passed a few people in the halls: Xigbar, Saix and Marluxia. All of them either snickered or smirked unpleasantly at them, and Xembré didn't like it.

By the time they got out of the castle, Xembré was nearly bursting with impatience. She had wanted for so long to get out of the castle, even for just a short time, and now she finally was! She couldn't keep a smile from coming onto her face, and she glanced at Zexion who was staring at the ground as he walked. Everything was quiet, except the slight crunching of the two pairs of boots on the ground. Eventually, Xembré tired of the endless silence, and gently took Zexion's hand, making him glance sideways at her.

For another few moments, they said nothing, but Xembré continued to hold tight to Zexion's hand. The soft _crunch, crunch_ of their feet on the ground changed to a soft padding sound as they wandered off the path and onto the lush, green grass. Tugging lightly on her hand, Zexion guided her toward a large pond. They stopped at the edge of the pond, and Zexion carefully removed his hand from Xembré's grasp.

The scene was breathtaking, but something was preventing Xembré from enjoying it as fully as she would have normally. She looked up at Zexion, and asked something that had been bothering her for a long time. "Remember, after one of our training sessions, you wanted to say something to me?" She asked hesitantly.

Zexion didn't look at her when he answered. "Yes." Was all he said, but the tiny amount of apprehension in his voice almost made Xembré forget the whole thing.

"Well…" She paused, taking his hand again. "What was it that you wanted to say?" He turned his deep eyes on her then and she stared up at him, squeezing his hand in both of hers.

Only a light breeze rustling in the grass disturbed the peace of the evening. The water rippled in the wind, twinkling in the bright, late evening sunshine. Different shades of pink, red and orange stained the clouds that hung low on the horizon, but all the beauty was lost on the two teens standing at the water's edge.

"It's unimportant…" Zexion said softly, still gazing steadily at the girl. "Really, you don't need to worry about it." He turned his head, staring down at his boots. After a moment of watching him, with a bit of concern, Xembré lifted herself up onto her tiptoes and brought her mouth close to his ear.

"Catch me if you can!" She whispered playfully, and before Zexion could fully comprehend what she meant, she had yanked one of his gloves off and dashed away across the expanse of grass, laughing.

Undecided, Zexion hesitated, trying to decide what to do. Should he chase after her, or maintain his normal, completely apathetic manner and let her tire of the game? Before he could make up his mind, Xembré was back at his side. She grabbed his hand, pressed as close to him as she could, and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"Do you want your glove back, or not?" She asked, dodging out of his reach before he could react and grinning. She waved the glove at Zexion, who suddenly felt, for some odd reason, rather hyper. He smirked slyly at her, and sprinted after the girl who dashed as fast as she could away from him.

Xembré could run fast. She swerved and turned sharply, each time trying to throw Zexion off, but she couldn't do it. He ran roughly about as fast as her, but was slowly gaining. Putting on a burst of speed, Zexion went to grab Xembré around the waist, but he accidentally tripped over his own cloak and they both went tumbling to the ground. Zexion turned in the air, shielding Xembré so that he got the brunt of the fall. His shoulder ached, but he didn't really care. Before Xembré could properly get her breath back, he had rolled over on top of her, straddled her hips and begun tickling her pitilessly.

"Z-Zexion, stop!" She shrieked, struggling to get out from under him and stop him from tickling her more. He tickled her mercilessly until she was writhing and squirming underneath him, laughing so hard she could hardly breathe. Then, with extreme effort, she lifted her hand, the one still clutching Zexion's glove, and threw the glove as far as she could. "Go get it!" She commanded, and to her surprise, he did.

Following the progress of the glove with his eyes, Zexion waited until it came to rest on the ground before leaping off of Xembré and running to get it. He fully intended to go back to the castle with Xembré and pretend that nothing had happened, but Xembré had other plans. When he bent to pick up the glove, Xembré dashed toward him, tackling him to the ground. Their positions swapped, she sat on top of Zexion, grinning down at him.

The smile that he had worn just seconds ago was quickly replaced by a scowl. "Get off." He commanded her, no hint of affectionate teasing in his voice. "Damn it, Xembré!" He shouted, when she didn't comply. "Get the fuck off of me!" His shout had a hint of some strange emotion in it –panic?- and brought immediate results. Xembré scrambled away from him, looking frightened.

Paying no attention to Xembré, Zexion sat up, putting his head in his hands. "Damn it…" He said softly to himself. His eyes closed and he massaged his brow, muttering a string of swear words. The thoughts that had rushed through his head, they almost scared him. "Damn it, damn it, damn it." Zexion hissed through clenched teeth.

Xembré, trembling, crept slowly closer to Zexion, watching him apprehensively. She tentatively reached out and took his hand, causing him to start. He turned an angry gaze on her, and stood, yanking his hand out of her grasp. Ignoring the pained look she gave him, he strode angrily away, still hissing curses to himself.

"Zexion," Xembré called, sounding exasperated, angry and confused all at once. "Zexion, what's wrong? What did I do?" He didn't answer, but Xembré thought she could see a flicker of fear in his eyes. She stared after him, trying to figure out what had gone wrong. What had she done? Her eyes fell on his glove lying on the grass, and she realized that he had forgotten it.

"Zexion!" She called again, hurriedly picking up the glove and rushing after Zexion. "Zexion, you forgot your glove." She soon reached his side, and held the glove out to him.

Without looking at her or letting his pace slow, Zexion snatched the glove from her. "Thanks." He said, and continued walking until he had reached the castle. He left Xembré standing outside, staring at the ground and trying to figure out what she had done.

Her confused thoughts were interrupted by a cheerful voice. "Hi, Xembré. I've been looking all over for you!" A gloved hand slipped into her own, and she looked up to see Demyx smiling down at her. "Come on, it's dinner time." He pulled her along with him into the castle and all the way to the kitchen before he realized that Xembré was neither talking, nor really paying attention to him.

"You okay…?" He asked, coming to a halt and staring down at her with concern.

"Uh, yeah, I'm fine." Xembré managed to say, forcing a smile onto her face.

Her smile didn't fool Demyx, however. "You heard, didn't you..?" He asked, looking suddenly frightened.

Her eyebrows contracting slightly, Xembré turned her head, staring at Demyx. "Heard what?" She asked, her suspicions aroused. When Demyx showed signs of reluctance, she tugged lightly on his hand, still staring hard at him. "Heard what, Demyx?" She asked, her voice sharp.

"Well…" Demyx still seemed reluctant to say. "Someone's been spreading rumors about you and Zexion." He said it in a rush, as though he wished to get it over wish quickly.

Xembré blinked, taken completely by surprise. "Who's been spreading rumors?" She asked, her eyes flashing angrily.

"Well…" Again Demyx paused, and he scratched the back of his head, lowering his eyes to avoid Xembré's gaze. "I heard it from Larxene, who heard it from Luxord, who heard it from Marluxia, who heard it from Xaldin, who heard Xigbar talking to Saix, who heard it from…" He stopped, gulped, and then went on, whispering the last word. "Axel…"

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Well, that's chapter seven! I hope you liked it and thanks so much for reading! Don't forget to review! Also, to answer a question I was asked by Lady KeyBlade: The juicy bits will come in later chapters, and no, Roxas and Namine won't be mentioned at all in this story. Sorry to all you Roxas and Namine fans! -hides-


	8. Two new friends

Alone Forever

Chapter Eight

Yes, chapter eight is finally here! Thanks for all the reviews, and thanks again for reading! I wuv you all!

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Xembré could not believe it. She just couldn't believe it! Axel, the friend she had thought she could always count on, had betrayed her! The rumors about her and Zexion had spread like wild fire. She could no longer walk anywhere in the castle without suffering taunts, snickers or disapproving glares.

At first, she had been so angry and embarrassed she could hardly bring herself to sit at the table and eat dinner. Axel kept throwing glances down the table at her, but she was determined to ignore him. The glances from the other members, except Demyx, were derisive, mocking and they obviously thought it very funny that she and Zexion were 'together'. The only ones not snickering behind their hands at her were Demyx, Xemnas and Zexion.

After the anger had come deep depression. How could Axel have done such a thing? Not only had the rumor made her so angry that she was no longer talking to Axel, but it had also torn she and Zexion apart. The two were avoiding each other so determinedly that sometimes Xembré thought Zexion was as embarrassed as her. He didn't show it though. It was difficult to avoid Zexion, however, since she was still required to have daily training sessions with him. They never talked afterward anymore, and she would usually rush away right after each session to find Demyx.

The only friend she had in the entire castle was Demyx. He stuck by her side, comforting her when he could, calming her when she grew infuriated. She often got so angry, that she would rampage around her room, throwing things, punching walls, and slamming doors. Through the spells of rage Demyx would sit quietly on her bed, waiting for her to tire herself out. When she finally grew tired of breaking anything that came into her hands, she would flop down on the bed next to him and bury her head in his chest, seeking comfort. Though she couldn't cry, she wished she could. Tears would have helped her relieve some of her frustration.

After days, weeks, of being tortured like that, Xembré didn't think she could take it any more. She wandered aimlessly through the halls of the castle, paying almost no attention to the jeers and insults that greeted her whenever she passed a fellow member of the Organization. Her eventual destination was Demyx's room, but she wasn't sure he would be there. So she took some detours.

As she wandered through the halls, she began meeting other members less and less frequently. She had gone down at least five floors, and noticed that she was obviously on the basement level. The dark, deserted halls were giving her a creepy feeling, and she couldn't help feeling like she was being watched. She quickly turned around to go back to her room, but a noise caught her attention.

A miniature explosion echoed through the deserted corridors, and Xembré jumped. Her curiosity aroused, she edged nearer to the source of the noise, which seemed to come from a closed door. Careful to make no noise, she crept slowly closer, her heart racing and her ears strained to catch any other noises. A sort of muffled sound came from behind the door, but other than that, Xembré heard nothing.

Unsure of what to do, she stood right outside the door, hesitating. She worriedly began gnawing on her thumbnail, a bad habit she had fought against since as long as she could remember. How long she stood there, she didn't know, but after a short time of indecision, she heard footsteps coming down the dimly lit hallway.

"What are you doing?" The man who came around the corner was not unwelcome, but Xembré would have preferred not to meet him there in that dark hall. Marluxia stopped in his tracks when he spotted Xembré, and narrowed his eyes suspiciously at her.

"I was just kind of wandering," Xembré replied, eyeing the older man with something like a cross between unwilling respect and relief. "And I heard an explosion. I was just trying to decide whether or not to investigate."

Her explanation was met by a small smile, which surprised her. The pink-haired man stepped past Xembré, and slowly opened the door. Slightly apprehensive, Xembré followed close behind him as he entered the room.

"Ah, I've been expecting you, Marluxia." A voice greeted the Graceful Assassin, and Marluxia smiled.

"I've brought a guest." He said, indicating the girl who was hanging back just inside the door. "She was curious to know what the explosions were."

Xembré dipped a small bow when Vexen, easily the oldest member of the Organization, looked her up and down, frowning. "Are you interested in science at all?" He asked at last, looking up to meet her gaze.

"Not especially…" Xembré said, forcing a shy smile onto her face. "I don't really understand it." Her eyes were not on Vexen any more, but on all the scientific equipment scattered around the room. Despite the fact that everything was everywhere at once, everything had its own place, and nothing was much cluttered.

Marluxia chuckled, and Xembré, taken by surprise, glanced around at him. The two men were looking at her almost calculatingly, and Xembré couldn't figure out what they were thinking.

"I think we may make a scientist out of you," Vexen commented, smiling wryly at her. "You're the perfect person for a scientist. You're young, inquisitive and very bright. Yes…" He paused, tapping his chin thoughtfully.

"Would you like to stay here with us and see what we're working on?" Marluxia asked, and Xembré stared at him, wondering whether she had heard him right.

Vexen nodded his ascent when Xembré looked questioningly at him. "Yes!" Xembré replied, sounding much more eager than she had meant to. "Yes, I'd love to!" Her expression was one of such joy that Vexen and Marluxia couldn't help smiling back at her.

"Okay then, let's start with the basics!" Vexen said, happy to finally have someone besides Marluxia who was interested in science.

The next few hours passed very pleasantly. Xembré enjoyed learning as much about science as she could, and Vexen and Marluxia were surprisingly patient teachers. If she didn't understand something, all she had to do was say so, and they would explain it again until she understood perfectly.

At one point, she asked them why they were being so nice to her. "Why shouldn't we be nice to you?" Vexen asked, eyeing her with something close to amusement in his eyes.

"Well…" She paused, blushing lightly. "Everyone kind of thinks I'm, well, with Zexion, and they all hate me for it…" She shifted uncomfortably, lowering her eyes.

Vexen snorted. "Oh, that rubbish." He said, as though it wasn't important at all. "I never pay attention to all that worry over who loves who. Honestly, you teenagers get excited over the smallest things." He shook his head, and went back to whatever experiment he was tinkering with. Xembré watched him for a while in silence, but she wasn't really thinking about science. _She_ thought it was important. Axel had totally humiliated her in front of the whole Organization. Now she thought she knew how Marluxia had felt the day Demyx had picked all his flowers. But, it _was_ some small consolation to know that Vexen and Marluxia didn't hate her.

She was torn roughly out of her thoughts by a hand gripping her arm. "What are you doing down here?" The voice belonged to Axel, who had gripped her arm so tightly, she whimpered.

"Not talking to you!" She managed to snap, but Axel wasn't paying attention to her. He was glaring suspiciously at Vexen and Marluxia, who glared right back at him. "Now let go!" She tore her arm viciously out of his grip, and glared up at him.

"You shouldn't be down here with them!" Axel shouted, finally turning his gaze on Xembré. Emerald fire danced in his eyes, something Xembré had rarely seen. Axel didn't often get so angry.

"Why should you care?" She retorted, standing up to lengthen the distance between her and Axel. "You think you can control me, and control who I'm friends with! Well I've got news for you! You can't!" And with that, she dashed out of the laboratory, leaving Axel to glare after her and Vexen and Marluxia to exchange exasperated looks.

She dashed as fast as she could back up several flights of stairs, and back to her room. So many things were battling in her chest that she thought she might explode. But despite the fact that she could feel all the emotions, there was the knowledge that she couldn't be, shouldn't be feeling those emotions hanging heavily over her.

Her footsteps slowed as she neared her room, and she slumped wearily against a wall. Breathing heavily, she tried to sort her tangled thoughts enough to complete the final stretch of hall to her room.

When she finally stumbled into her room, she collapsed onto her bed, lying face down. Anger, pleasure, grief, so many emotions and thoughts were tangled up inside her that she thought she might die from the pain it was causing her. Her eyes closed and she lay there gasping for breath, the weight in her chest caused by the battle of emotion overwhelming.

She stayed that way for hours, until night had fallen and silence reigned in the whole castle. She simply lay there, thinking things over and lamenting the loss of the companionable afternoon she could have spent with Marluxia and Vexen until she could stand it no longer. She sat up, planning on getting up, but paused for a moment to remove her boots and gloves. Then she stood and left her room in search of Demyx.

Seeing as it was almost midnight, she would most likely find him in his room. So she headed that way. The halls were dark and empty, the stillness broken only by the soft padding of Xembré's sock-clad feet. No one else seemed to be awake, but as she neared Demyx's room, she changed her mind. She could hear soft music, apparently coming from Demyx's room. He was probably playing his sitar.

She paused outside his door, shivering slightly, and then carefully opened the door. If Demyx was up, which he obviously was, he wouldn't mind if she went in.

The room was dimly lit because the moon was shining brightly in through Demyx's open window. He was sitting on his window sill, gazing up at the moon while playing his sitar. He took no notice of Xembré as she advanced on him, or if he did, he didn't indicate that he had seen her. Not until she sat on the windowsill beside him did he stop playing.

"Couldn't sleep either, huh?" He asked, his eyes still on the moon.

Xembré shrugged. "No, I was too busy thinking…" She leaned forward, causing Demyx to glance at her. "Are you okay?"

Demyx shrugged half-heartedly. "I guess…" He said, and went back to playing his sitar. The two sat in silence for a bit, until Demyx stopped playing and glanced at Xembré again. "What were you thinking about that kept you from sleeping?" He asked, in a would-be casual voice.

"Well…" Xembré paused, bowing her head and avoiding Demyx's questioning gaze. An expression of concern on his face, Demyx reached to take her hand. She glanced up at him and saw the question in his eyes.

"You can tell me…" He said, giving her hand a squeeze.

His encouragement and the comfort he offered prompted Xembré to speak. "Why does Axel have to be such a jerk?" She spoke quickly and with such ferocity that Demyx looked taken aback.

"What did he do now?" Demyx asked warily. Xembré was liable to explode at any second, and he wasn't sure he wanted to deal with something like that so late at night.

Xembré sighed, all signs of anger gone. Then she proceeded to tell Demyx everything that had weighed heavily on her non-existent heart since the day Axel had started spreading rumors. She told him about the anger she felt, the grief she felt knowing that Axel had betrayed her. She told him all about the friendship she might have found in Vexen and Marluxia and how Axel had ruined her day by barging in like he had. She spilled every thought she had on the situation, minus her feelings toward Zexion, and soon she was wrapped tightly in Demyx's arms, speaking in a voice muffled by his shoulder.

"And I just don't know what I'm supposed to do." She concluded, taking a deep, shuddery breath.

Demyx continued to hold her tight, stroking her hair, his chin resting on the top of her head. When she had calmed some, he gently held her at arms length, looking deep into the blue eyes that held such horrible grief. "I'm not sure what to tell you about Axel, but I will try. You could try talking to him about it."

He flinched when Xembré pulled away from him, obviously not pleased. "I'm not talking to him." She said fiercely. He had expected as much.

"And about Zexion," Xembré flushed, wondering how Demyx had known. "You might try just acting like nothing happened. If you act like you don't care, then maybe he'll take a hint."

That wasn't at all what Xembré had expected. She turned and leaned against Demyx, sighing. "Since when did you get so good at giving advice?" She asked, traces of laughter lingering in her voice.

"I don't know." Demyx said. "Seeing as I never really got much…" He sighed heavily, and Xembré could feel his arms tighten around her.

"Demyx…?" She asked. Something had just occurred to her.

"Yeah?" Demyx didn't bother looking at the girl. He knew her tone, and knew that she was thinking hard.

"Why couldn't you sleep?" She asked. Her back was still to him, but she felt him shift, and somehow knew that the question made him uncomfortable. Her eyes closed briefly when his fingers grazed across her forehead, brushing her hair away from her face.

Demyx didn't answer for a moment, but continued stroking Xembré's hair. He felt her relax against him, and he wanted nothing more than to sit there with her in friendly silence.

When he did speak, it was in a hesitant voice. He stopped stroking her hair, but kept his arms tightly around her.

"I was remembering what my life was like before I was attacked... You're not the only one who misses your friends." His gaze flicked onto the heart-shaped moon, and he heaved a gusty sigh.

After a brief silence, Demyx continued. He told Xembré all about his former life: his family, his friends, his school, home, everything. His attack had been much like Xembré's. He had been at school eating lunch with his friends, Jacob, Kaye, Matt, Jonathan and Aimee. Then the heartless came out of no where. The last thing he could remember seeing was the face of his best friend, Aimee. "I thought I was in love…" He admitted when telling Xembré about Aimee.

"She was perfect." Demyx went on, his face clouding over as he talked about the girl. "Everything about her was perfect. Her hair was brown and curly, and even though she complained about it a lot, I always loved it. Her eyes were brown too." Demyx seemed totally unaware that Xembré was drifting to sleep. "She was always smiling, even if she was unhappy. She never admitted that she was sad, she chose to try to cheer everyone else up, instead of dwelling on her own sadness." He went on and on, describing everything about her: her laugh, her voice, everything about her that he said was perfect.

He didn't notice that Xembré wasn't listening until she let out a soft sigh and shifted. He stopped in the middle of a sentence about Aimee's clothing style, and smiled softly. "Oops…" Was all he said as he looked down at the sleeping girl. He lifted her carefully, not wanting to wake her, and carried her to his bed. There he put her down gently and then lay down next to her.

Xembré shifted again, snuggling closer to Demyx and the warmth he offered. The nights were growing steadily colder, and that night was no difference. Sleep slowly over took Demyx, and, giving Xembré a whispered goodnight, he fell asleep.

---

The next morning, when Xembré woke, she was embarrassed to find herself in bed with Demyx. It was nothing compared to waking up to find that she was in bed with Zexion, but it was still embarrassing. Sliding out of the bed as quietly as she could, she made her way to the door. Before she could get even to the foot of the bed, Demyx had woken with a start.

"Oh…" He said, seeing Xembré standing beside his bed and blushing slightly. He seemed at a loss for words, so Xembré spoke for him.

"You don't have to apologize or anything." She said reassuringly. "I was just going to get out of here quick, because the last thing I need is someone finding us in the same bed." She scowled darkly.

Demyx rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah… I guess you're right." There was a pause, during which Xembré began biting a fingernail. When she caught herself at it, she quickly withdrew her hand, scowling harder.

"What time is it, anyway?" Demyx asked. He slipped out of bed, glancing at his clock to answer his own question. The clock showed six-thirty. "You wanna head down to breakfast…?" He asked.

Xembré shrugged. "I would, but I think we should go down there at strategic intervals… Like, I'll go down there now, and then you can go down in like, half an hour or something." She sighed. It would be just _perfect_ if someone saw her go out of Demyx's room and assumed she was 'cheating' on Zexion.

Demyx shrugged. "Okay, if that'll make you feel more comfortable." He really didn't care if people thought they were together and doing… stuff together. They had already thought something like that before, but they had never been ridiculed. But, he supposed they would find Xembré a good source of entertainment if they thought she was with both he, and Zexion.

Before Demyx had finished thinking all of that, Xembré had left his room. She stalked quietly through the halls, thinking. She stopped at her room for a moment, but only long enough to put on her boots and gloves and comb her hair. Then she continued toward the kitchen.

The kitchen was just as empty as the halls had been. Only one person was in the kitchen, leaning against the counter and that was Axel. Xembré stalked right past him without glancing at him, even though he looked as though he wanted to say something. She was so angry at Axel, that when she pulled a jug of milk out of the fridge her hand was shaking so badly that she dropped it. It smashed all over the floor, sending milk in all directions.

"Shit!" She exclaimed, letting her anger out in one, well chosen word. She yanked a towel off the counter and began mopping up the milk. Axel gave no indication that he had seen Xembré at all.

"Was that dear little Xembré I heard swearing?" A voice shattered the silence, making Xembré look up. Marluxia was standing in the doorway, watching Xembré clean the mess with a smirk on his face.

Xembré relaxed visibly when she saw who it was who had spoken. "Give me a hand," She said, tossing a towel at her newly found friend. He caught it with ease, and then advanced to help her clean up, smiling maliciously at Axel as he passed.

"My, my…" He said, kneeling next to Xembré. "Such a mess. I wonder what could have made you drop the milk." He glanced sideways at the girl, who was glaring at the ground. He could tell she was angry because she was mopping the floor with the towel even though it was perfectly clean again.

When Xembré did look up again, she saw that Axel was gone. "Thanks for the help." She said, smiling gratefully at Marluxia.

"Think nothing of it." The pink-haired man waved a hand airily. Together the two new friends found a meal and ate, while the kitchen slowly filled up around them. They talked a bit, getting to know one another, and Xembré learned that Marluxia was only a few years older than she was. She was surprised to find that out, because she had thought him to be at least twenty-three.

Vexen and Demyx soon joined the two at the table. As soon as Demyx sat down, Xembré leaned forward to whisper to him, and they both laughed. They held a quick, whispered conversation before Xembré returned to the conversation with Marluxia. Demyx was barely eating, and was watching Xembré with a slight scowl on his face. Vexen, Xembré and Marluxia hardly noticed, though.

"Would you like to come to the laboratory again today?" Vexen asked after a while, carefully plucking a crumb from the sleeve of his cloak. "Marluxia and I made an exciting discovery last night."

Xembré grinned. "Sure!" She said. The three left the kitchen together. Marluxia opened the door, and then stepped back to let Xembré pass through first. Xembré looked rather flattered.

Standing in a remote corner of the kitchen, Zexion watched as Xembré and her two newest friends left. He looked tired and disheveled, almost as though he'd stayed up all night. A scowl was fixed on his face, and his indigo eyes were flashing with what was unmistakably anger. He suddenly stood straight, looking excited. He had a plan!

---

Well, there's chapter eight. I hope you liked it, and thanks so much for reading! Please don't forget to review! I always love to hear from my fans, old and new alike. Remember, I'm always willing to listen to advice, so don't hesitate to give me some! The next chapter may not be up for a while… But I don't know… Sorry for any delays!


	9. One New Enemy

Alone Forever

Chapter Nine

Here's chapter nine, guys! I hope you enjoy it!

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For the next few days, Xembré spent all day with Vexen and Marluxia. She was in the lab with them almost constantly. Sometimes she would sit and watch Vexen for hours as he experimented. She would sit straddling a backwards chair, her arms resting on the back, and her chin on her arms. For hours she could sit there, perfectly still, not moving or speaking unless someone spoke to her. It was generally pretty quiet in the lab, unless Vexen caused an explosion. Those were usually small and nothing to worry about.

On some days she would sit in a remote corner of the lab and read. There was a wooden bench in one corner which she found to be the perfect place to sit and read. Other times she would talk to Marluxia while he experimented. His experiments proved to be less dangerous than Vexen's, and he was also much more talkative. They could sit and talk for hours, usually about science, but sometimes they talked about other things. Though Marluxia wasn't much of a reader, they did have a lot in common.

One day, Xembré got up the nerve to ask Marluxia something that she thought might offend him. "Marluxia…?" She asked timidly. The man glanced sideways at her, looking away from what he was doing for a second to show that he was listening.

When Xembré didn't speak again, he sat back in his chair, giving her his full attention. "What?" He watched as Xembré searched for words, a slight smile hovering around his face.

"Well…" She paused for a moment, and then plunged onward. "If you're The Graceful Assassin, why isn't your weapon something more… stealthy?" She blushed slightly, glancing away from Marluxia to avoid meeting his gaze.

Marluxia said nothing for a moment, blinking in surprise. "I believe," He started at last. "You are the first person who has ever asked me that." He seemed almost impressed.

Cocking her head to one side, Xembré grinned. "Well? What's the answer?" She asked. Her hand ventured from her side to poke him in the stomach, causing him to jump and grab her wrist.

As his brown eyes delved deep into the endless blue of Xembré's gaze, he smirked widely. "That's something I can't tell you." He said softly. "But, you know, I can tell you something else." He leaned closer, his breath tickling her ear as he whispered three words to her. "I want you…"

Xembré immediately sucked in a deep breath. "What?!" She shrieked, stumbling backwards to get away from the pink-haired man. She was breathing hard, her hands clenched at her sides as she stared at Marluxia who advanced on her slowly.

Instead of speaking, Marluxia kept advancing, took the girls arm and led her out of the laboratory. "We'll be back." He snapped at Vexen, who was looking curiously at the two.

Xembré was trembling, afraid of what Marluxia might do. Something Axel had said just last week popped into her mind and she realized how foolish she had been.

_"You shouldn't be down here with them!"_

He had only been trying to protect her. He knew what Marluxia was after, and Xembré deeply regretted not paying attention to him.

She was pulled from her thoughts when Marluxia slammed her against the wall and brushed his lips across hers. She shuddered, but jerked away from him, glaring with hatred. "I trusted you." She snarled, before she turned on her heel and dashed away, leaving Marluxia to utter a string of swear words.

The halls of the castle were emptier than they usually were. Checking her watch, Xembré realized that it was nearly time for her training session with Zexion. Startled, she broke into a run, so as not to miss her training. Xigbar demanded that she be punctual for ever session, and she didn't want to get on his bad side.

Ten minutes later, she burst into the training room to see Xigbar and Zexion, looking impatient. Out of breath, she sagged against the wall.

"You're late, number thirteen." Xigbar snapped. Folding his arms, he glared at the girl until she straightened up.

"I'm sorry." She said, once she had her breath back. "I lost track of the time." She inclined her head respectfully, all the while ignoring Zexion who was standing quietly in the background.

"Well, don't let it happen again." Xigbar said commandingly.

"Don't worry, I won't." Xembré flashed him a smile, trying to look as though she really meant it. She couldn't promise that she would never be late again.

"Come on, then, let's get this training over with." Xigbar moved aside so she and Zexion could start training. Xembré could tell that Xigbar was in a bad mood, so she obediently summoned her katana and faced Zexion. The dark haired teen was looking just as apathetic as usual, but there was something different about him. The familiar dull, bored look in his eyes was missing, and had been replaced by a determined gleam.

Xembré frowned slightly, but before she could concentrate on the difference, Zexion had summoned a long, lethal looking scimitar. The blade gleamed brightly, flashing as Zexion swung it at Xembré.

She barely lifted her own sword in time to block Zexion's otherwise fatal blow. The blades sang as they came into contact, sending tingles up and down Xembré's arm. Arm numb and tingling, she opened a portal that led to the opposite end of the room. It wouldn't do much to help her win the fight, but she would at least have some time to rest her arm.

Zexion, surprised to see Xembré fleeing, paused for a moment, letting down his guard. Across the room, Xembré actually let her arms drop, letting her breath out in a hiss of pain.

"Quit running!" Xigbar shouted. Xembré raised her arms again and waited for Zexion to advance. If she was going to fight, she was going to do it her way.

Zexion advanced slowly, circling around to try and get behind Xembré. But Xembré spun slowly on the spot, making sure she was always facing Zexion. A frustrated sigh escaped Zexion and he leapt forward. The two were once again at hand-to-hand combat, and neither was giving any ground.

Her arm still a little numb, Xembré did her best to parry Zexion's blows, instead of directly blocking them. The dark haired teen was thrusting and striking as fast and hard as he could, and Xembré was hard put to stop him from killing her.

By the time her arm had regained most of its feeling, she was losing ground to Zexion. He upped his ferocity by a notch, fighting harder, making Xembré really work, if she valued her life. By way of retaliation, Xembré fought harder as well.

The two teens kept fighting, each as hard as they could, but still neither giving any ground to the other. When Xembré's blade whipped out, catching Zexion in the hand, he gave a short gasp and dropped his blade. Xembré's blade tip was immediately at his throat. She glared up at him, a kind of fierce pride in her eyes.

Shock apparent in his face, Zexion stared at Xembré. Drops of blood littered the floor, dripping down Zexion's hand and off his fingers. He seemed not to notice, though, and kept staring at Xembré in disbelief.

"Good job…" He said quietly.

Xembre lowered her blade. "Thank you." She said, at the same time getting rid of her katana. "And you're bleeding." Her comment brought Zexion's attention to his hand.

"Oh…" He lifted his hand to look at the wound. "So I am. I hadn't noticed." His eyes slid over his own blood covered hand, then he glanced at Xembré before wrapping his hand in his cloak.

"Here, come up to my room and I'll help you bandage it." Without waiting for a reply, Xembré walked out of the training room. Xigbar was already gone. She wasn't entirely sure that Zexion would come, but when she glanced over her shoulder, he was following at a short distance, his eyes on the floor in front of him and his hand still wrapped tightly in his cloak.

When they reached her room, she opened the door and headed straight for her bathroom. Zexion followed obediently, but paused in the door way. "Come on," Xembré said, glancing up at him. She knelt down and pulled some bandages out from under the sink.

Zexion advanced, still hesitant. "Sit." Xembre commanded him, and he sat on the edge of the counter. The girl took his hand, letting a cleansing pad hover a few inches above his hand. "This'll sting." She warned before applying the pad.

Zexion flinched almost unnoticeably. "Sorry." Xembre said, pulling the pad away for a moment before continuing the clean the cut. Zexion only grunted, making Xembré chuckle.

They were quiet for a moment, while Xembré finished cleaning the cut and then began bandaging it. Zexion watched the girl, his eyes never straying from her face. Then, when she was nearly done, she spoke. "You know," She said quietly. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I was just really mad, and I kind of took my anger out on you." She gave the bandage one last adjustment before looking up at Zexion. She blushed when she met his gaze, and glanced away as he slid off the counter.

Zexion examined the dressing, no expression on his face. "Thanks." He said. Glancing up at Xembré again, he saw that she was still blushing.

"You're welcome." Xembré replied. Her answer was short, seemingly pleasant, though Zexion could tell that she was faking it. Her head was bowed, her hair falling into her face while she avoided looking at Zexion.

Putting a hand under her chin, he tilted her head so he could look at her. "Why so upset?" He asked, his tone low. His indigo eyes bored deep into her blue ones. She desperately wanted to look away, to hide her pain, fear and anger from him, but she couldn't bring herself to stray away from his gaze.

"I-it's nothing." She said, lowering her eyes at last. She bowed her head, letting her hair fall into her face again. She took his hand, pulling him out of her room and down the hall. "Come on, it's almost dinner time."

The two walked quietly through the halls. Zexion watched Xembré out of the corner of his eye, noting her mood. Her shoulders were hunched, her head bowed. Deep, blue eyes were focused on the ground, her arms were folded and she looked as upset as a Nobody could be.

Zexion stopped in his tracks, putting a hand on Xembré's shoulder to stop her. "It's not nothing." He said, as though carrying on a conversation. "Something's bothering you. What is it?" He stared down at her, concern in his eyes.

When Xembré didn't answer, or even look up at him, he put his hands on both her shoulders. "Xembré, tell me. Is someone tormenting you?" Xembré could only nod helplessly. "Who is it? What did he do?"

Xembré shook her head. She appeared to be trying to speak, but couldn't force the words out. Slipping an arm around her waist, Zexion drew her close. His action finally got Xembré to look up at him. However, he hadn't counted on her piercing blue gaze pulling him closer. He wanted to comfort her, show her that he really cared. There was only one way to do that.

He lifted his hand to softly caress her cheek, bringing a light blush to her face. Her eyes closed as he drew nearer, and she prepared for what was inevitable, that which she had brought upon herself by accident. She felt his hand slip back into her hair to the back of her head, pulling her even closer. She trembled when his lips feathered lightly over hers, just a sample of what was to come. But it never came.

Suddenly, Zexion jumped backwards and away from Xembré as though she were something slimy and disgusting. The girls' eyes snapped open and she stared at Zexion who was hastily pulling his hood up to hide his blushing face. The questioning look in her eyes, along with a mixture of hurt and disappointment was impossible to ignore.

"Someone's coming." Zexion hissed. He had, of course, smelled another member of the Organization. The excitement of the moment had prevented him from knowing exactly who it was, but now that he'd had time to steady his breathing, he knew that it was Demyx.

Xembré heard Zexion mutter: 'Just my luck.' and a string of swear words. She didn't have time to reprimand him, though, because at that moment, Demyx came around the corner.

"Oh, hi, Xembré!" Demyx said cheerfully, grinning. He didn't seem to notice the fact that she was blushing hard, and that Zexion was acting more odd than usual. His gloved hand found Xembré's and he smiled at her when she glanced at him. "Are you going to dinner?"

Xembré nodded, and pulled Demyx close to whisper in his ear. Immediately serious, Demyx listened to her whisper for a moment, and then whispered earnestly back. They carried on a whispered conversation until they reached the kitchen, paying no attention whatsoever to Zexion, who made no attempt to attract their attention. He simply walked with them, slightly behind Xembré, his eyes hard.

When the three reached the kitchen, Zexion was striving to keep himself from flying at Demyx. He wanted to keep that stupid blonde away from Xembré, wanted to prove that he was stronger, more intelligent and much better all around than Demyx. He had no idea where the crazy ideas had come from, but it was all he could do to keep from fulfilling them.

Xembré still didn't notice Zexion as they entered the kitchen, and she ignored him as she sat at the table beside Larxene. Dinner was the only meal of the day that all the Organization members were required to sit in their numerical order.

Xembré glanced down the table at Demyx, and he winked as though they shared some secret. Catching the wink, Zexion inwardly seethed. Xembré should have been looking at him, not Demyx. He should have been on the receiving end of that smile, getting the cheerful twinkle in her eyes, attracting hugs and holding hands with her.

"Dude, Zexion," The voice of a certain red-head broke into Zexion's thoughts, making him start. "You better not let Xembré catch you looking at her like that. She might think you're having dirty thoughts." Zexion glared at Axel while striving to keep a blush from creeping into his cheeks. He hadn't meant to stare, but Axel had caught him at it.

_Damn it, Zexion. _He mentally rebuked himself. _You shouldn't be thinking this way. Just get the stupid girl out of your head. _He leaned back in his chair, poking idly at the food in front of him. His eyes flicked onto Xembré every once in a while, and he noticed that she looked strained, almost in pain.

A sudden crash shattered the silence in the dining room as Xembré stumbled away from the table, sending her chair to the floor. She collapsed, curled into a small ball as she clutched her stomach, emitting groans of what was unmistakably pain.

Zexion immediately leapt up from his chair. "She needs an antidote! She's been poisoned!" He exclaimed, dashing to Xembré's side. The girl had begun to shake violently, and thrash her head from side to side, seeking relief from the terrible pain. Axel and Demyx joined him by her side, but were shoved aside by Vexen.

"We need to get her to my laboratory." Vexen announced, a sort of quiet urgency in his voice. "Axel, you will need to carry her. And hurry."

Axel carefully picked up the thrashing girl and rushed away with Vexen, Demyx following in his wake. Zexion followed shortly after them, his eyes hard and shining with anger. Instead of following Vexen to the lab, however, he waited just outside the kitchen door.

When Marluxia came through the door, Zexion grabbed the front of his cloak, lifted the man off his feet and slammed him into the nearest wall. "If she dies, you'll regret it." He snarled through clenched teeth.

"You know, you're much too clever for your own good." Marluxia said, in an attempt at mild humor, but his face and tone soon hardened. "How did you know I had done it?" He would not have stayed to chat normally, but since Zexion's hands were clenched tightly around fistfuls of his cloak and he was pinned against a wall, he had no choice.

"I knew because of the many times I've seen you at work." Zexion's voice was a low hiss, a warning that he was close to the breaking point. "Your poisons usually don't take effect so soon. I suppose you wanted to finish her off quickly, didn't you."

He didn't give the man enough time to answer, but went right on. "And why did you want her dead?" He asked, his tone still low. "Because she wouldn't let you fuck her? I knew you two were spending a lot of time together, but I never dreamed that you might stoop so low as to force something on her. I never thought you capable of stooping any lower, you fag, but you've proved me wrong. Why don't you go jack off in some corner, you cross dresser?"

Marluxia was obviously furious. He opened his mouth to reply, but Zexion cut him off. "Just stay away from Xembré." He snarled. "And if she dies, I'll make sure you pay." He glared at Marluxia for another moment before letting go of his cloak and stalking away.

---

Down in the lab, Vexen was hastily whipping up an antidote. He kept throwing anxious glances at Xembré, who was shaking and thrashing violently from side to side. She let out a scream of agony, alarming Demyx so much that he looked close to tears. Axel was doing his best to calm the tortured girl, but he couldn't do anything to stop the pain, and sent a look of anguish at Vexen.

"Hurry up!" He yelled, not really meaning to sound at angry as he did. His worry overshadowed the fact that Vexen was working as quickly as he could. "We need to help her!"

"We won't help her by shouting." Zexion's calm voice breached the near-silence, and Axel and Demyx turned to look at him. He stood in the doorway, his arms crossed and a closely guarded expression on his face.

"It's done!" Vexen exclaimed, rushing back to Xembré's side. "Axel, tilt her head back, we have to get her to drink it."

Xembré screamed in anguish again as Axel forced her to sit up. Her eyes were screwed shut, and she seemed unable to swallow the concoction. Zexion was immediately at her side, taking her hand and whispering reassurances in her ear. Though the pain was still unbearable, she managed to open her eyes enough to peer at Zexion.

"Drink it," Zexion commanded her gently. He sat behind her, letting her head rest on his shoulder. Vexen tipped the antidote into her mouth and she swallowed. She continued to tremble violently and she began whimpering. Axel and Demyx exchanged anxious glances. Would the antidote work?

All of a sudden, Xembré stopped shaking. She took a deep shuddery breath, and opened her eyes in time to see Axel and Demyx embrace in pure euphoria. "She's alright!" Demyx exclaimed, and he would have hugged Xembré too, if Vexen hadn't restrained him.

Xembré, still trembling from the awful ordeal, glanced up at Zexion who was stroking her forehead in a comforting way. His eyes were on the floor, and he was clearly thinking.

"A-axel…" Xembré muttered hoarsely, reaching out weakly to touch his face. "Axel, I'm sorry…" Her breathing was still uneven, and she looked ready to faint.

Axel reached up and grasped her hand in both of his. "Sorry for what? You're the one who nearly died." His feeble attempt at humor went unnoticed.

"I should have known… that you had my best interest at heart…" She paused when she realized what she had said. Her breathing was reaching a steady rate, and her eyelids were drooping as she leaned more heavily against Zexion. "When you said I shouldn't hang out with Marluxia, you were right…" She paused again, and Axel tightened his grip on her hand.

"What did he do?" He asked sharply. Demyx, looking murderous, was muttering threats under his breath.

"He tried to… force himself on me…" She muttered, her voice growing fainter. Her eyes closed all the way, and she sighed deeply.

Vexen stepped forward to stop Axel from disturbing her. "She needs to rest. It took a lot of energy to fight the poison for as long as she did. One might think there was something in her life that she was willing to fight for." His eyes flicked onto Zexion who was avoiding everyone's gaze.

"I'll take her up to her room." Zexion offered. Axel shot a suspicious glare at the dark-haired teen who rolled his eyes. "I never said you couldn't come." He rose and carefully lifted the barely awake Xembré, placing a kiss on her sweaty brow as he did.

Axel and Demyx exited the lab first, discussing possibilities of how the girl had been poisoned –Demyx thought it must have been in the food- and who had poisoned her. Before he left the lab, Zexion exchanged knowing looks with Vexen. Only he, Vexen and The Superior knew of Marluxia's skill with poison. Very few ever guessed that The Graceful Assassin worked with poisons.

Alone with his thoughts, Zexion followed the two lower ranks to Xembré's room. Just a short time ago he had been traveling the same route to the dining room. That seemed ages ago.

When they reached her room, Demyx pulled the covers down so Zexion could put Xembré in her bed. The girl was practically asleep, so Axel and Demyx decided not to linger. Zexion was about to leave her bedside when Xembré reached out and grasped his hand.

"Don't go…" She begged, pulling feebly on his hand to invite him to sit. "Stay with me..." Smiling lightly, Zexion sat on the edge of the bed and stayed until she had fallen into a deep slumber.

---

_"Zexion?" The dark haired teen turned at the sound of his name. He had thought he was alone in the library, but apparently he had been wrong. His eyes fell on Xembré who was standing a few feet away._

_"Yes?" Zexion asked. His eyes wandered to her lips, and he found himself wondering what it would be like to kiss those wonderful lips. He itched to caress her, taste her. He wanted to f-_

_"Zexion, can I ask you a question?" Xembré brought Zexion's attention back up to her face. She seemed perfectly aware of what had been going on in his mind, and smiled. _

_"You just did. But go ahead." Determined to keep his mind from wandering, he met Xembré's gaze. Amusement and mischief were in her eyes, and Zexion found it arousing. He didn't notice that Xembré had been advancing until she was right up against him. _

_"You want me, don't you?" Her breath tickled his ear as she whispered, and Zexion stiffened when she began nibbling on his ear. It had to be a joke, just a stupid prank of Demyx's. If he didn't answer, they would figure it hadn't worked and leave him alone. _

_He held his silence, letting Xembré continue nibbling at her ear. Only when she left a trail of kisses across his jaw line did he lose control enough to moan. Xembré smirked and brought her mouth up to his. _

_"I asked you a question." She said, before kissing him deeply. Taken completely by surprise, Zexion staggered backwards into a wall until he was caught firmly between the wall and Xembré's mouth. Could it still be a joke? Frankly, he didn't care. _

_He kissed her back, letting his arms travel around her waist and pulling her closer. Emboldened by his response, Xembré deepened the kiss, her hands going up to tangle in Zexion's dark, blue-black hair. _

_After a few minutes, Xembré pulled away, leaving Zexion looking almost scared. "What's the answer to my question?" She asked, licking her lips. She smiled when Zexion opened his mouth, but appeared unable to speak. "Come on, Zexy." Xembré taunted him, kissing him again, softly and quickly this time._

_"I want you more than anything." He grunted, his voice rough from restraining himself. _

_Xembré smiled again and leaned in close to whisper in his ear. "Then I'm yours." _

_Zexion couldn't believe his ears. Xembré had nearly just invited him to claim her as his own. She seemed aware of it too, and brushed her lips across his seductively. _

_"Are you gonna fuck me or what?" She hissed in his ear. _

_That was it for Zexion. He kissed her again, this time fiercely and hungrily. Xembre responded at once, returning the kiss with just as much passion. Zexion shivered in delight as her hands traveled down his stomach and—_

Zexion woke with a start, sitting straight up in bed. He was covered in sweat, and his breath came in short gasps. "Damn it…" He cursed under his breath, wiping the sweat off his forehead. It was that dream again. He had been having that same dream every night for weeks.

He had to do something about it. His eyes glittered maliciously as he slipped out of bed. It was time to put his plan into action.

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Heh, there's chapter nine. I hope you like it. I realize that some _questions_ are going to turn up about this chapter, so… I'll answer them right now.

1 Marluxia is only physically attracted to Xembré. Let's just say he was so anxious to get laid, that he jumped at the chance. And yes, he would do anything, even rape poor Xembré… I mean, let's face it. Most of the Organization could be described as perverted rapists… O.O

2 Yes, Zexion has perverted dreams… I wouldn't want someone having those kinds of dreams about me, but that's just the kind of person Zexion is.

3 I regret to tell you that you won't find out what Zexion's _plan _is until the next chapter. So you might not even want to bother asking me.

Okay, that's enough of the random answers. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and please don't forget to review! I'll get the next chapter up as soon as possible.


	10. Subterfuge

Alone Forever

Chapter Ten

Well, here's chapter ten, guys! I hope you like it!

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Though Zexion desperately wanted to put his plan into motion, he decided to wait a few days until Xembré had fully recovered. She had been excused from all chores and responsibility for a few days so she wouldn't have anything to worry about but recovering. Those few days were wiled away happily as Xembré spent time with her two friends, Axel and Demyx. Once Axel apologized for spreading rumors, he and Xembré had made up at once. It was clear that the trio was glad to be together again.

Even though Xembré spent as much time with Axel and Demyx as possible, she still found time for Zexion. Whether it was just a quick chat during breakfast, a lengthy conversation, or just sitting quietly together, Xembré made sure that she paid as much attention to Zexion as was possible.

Axel was still disapproving about Xembré and Zexion spending so much time together, but he was so glad to have Xembré as a friend again that he didn't mention it. Demyx on the other hand seemed pleasantly unaware of what was going on. Not that anyone was really sure what exactly was going on.

Now that Xembré was practically fully recovered, Zexion decided that his plan could be put into action. His eyes glittered maliciously as he summoned a thick stick. His plan called for difficult actions and sneaking around, but nothing was going to stop him from getting what he wanted.

---

Singing was one of Demyx's favorite things to do. He was currently writing a song for Xembré. As he walked through the deserted halls of the castle, he hummed thoughtfully, trying to find the right tune. The words came to him as he hummed, and soon he was singing loudly, making up the words as he went along.

"_I went to the beach with my mommy._

_I picked up a sand crab, and put it on her tummy._

_She screamed 'Ah!' and threw it away. _

_And that's when I heard the little guy say:"_

"'_Hey!'"_

"'_Don't throw me away!_

_Man, don't throw me away!_

_I'm just a little crab and I got somethin' to say!_

_You don't have to scream,_

_If you don't want me to stay!_

_Just let me go back to the ocean and play!'"_

"_I put the crab in my daddy's shirt._

_I hoped the little guy, wouldn't get hurt._

_My daddy tried to hit, the crab with his towel._

_And that's when I heard the little guy howl:"_

"'_Hey!'"_

"'_Don't hit me around!_

_Man, don't hit me around!_

_I'm just a little sand crab sittin' on the ground!_

_You don't have to hit if,_

_You don't want me around,_

_Cause soon I will be ocean bound!'" _

"_I saw my little brother over there._

_I picked up the sand crab and put it in his hair._

_My brother tried to put, the crab in his mouth._

_And that's when I heard the little guy shout:"_

"'_Hey!'" _

"'_Don't eat me like food!_

_Man, don't eat me like food!_

_I'm just a little crab and I don't taste very good!_

_Don't eat me like food!_

_Man, don't eat me like food! _

'_Cause I won't be in a very good mood.'"_

"_I don't go to the beach any more._

_My mommy says I have to stay away from the shore._

_She doesn't like to throw crabs away,_

_And she doesn't like to hear them say:"_

"'_Hey!'"_

"'_Don't throw me away!_

_Man, don't throw me away!_

_I'm just a little crab and I got somethin' to say!_

_You don't have to scream, _

_If you don't want me to stay!_

_Just let me go back to the ocean an-'"_

Demyx's song was cut short when he was hit suddenly from behind. A strong stick came heavily into contact with the back of his head, and he crumpled to the floor, unconscious.

"God that song was annoying." Zexion mumbled to himself, staring down at the unconscious blonde. "Oh well… Step one: Complete."

---

Pacing back and forth in her room, Xembré wondered where Demyx was. They were supposed to go for a walk, but Demyx hadn't shown up yet. She lifted a hand nervously to her mouth and gnawed on a finger nail. Her clock showed that Demyx was fifteen minutes late. Should she go out and look for him?

She shook her head and sat down on the bed, still gnawing her finger nail. Maybe Demyx had been distracted by something. Or maybe Luxord and Marluxia had abducted him and made him play strip poker again. She would give Demyx ten more minutes, then she would go look for him.

---

Now that 'step one' of Zexion's plan was complete, Zexion had to move on to 'step two'. He had to put Demyx somewhere to prevent him from being found. However, he hadn't planned on the blonde being so heavy. The blonde proved too heavy to lift, so Zexion had to resort to dragging Demyx through the halls. It was slow work.

"This had better be worth it…" Zexion muttered to himself. He paused for a moment to give himself a bit of a rest. He paused right outside Axel's door.

---

"God, I am so bored…" Axel complained. He was pacing circles in his room. Flopping down on his bed, he settled down on his back and stared blankly at the roof, his arms resting behind his head.

"There is NOTHING to do!!!" He yelled, just for the pure heck of it. At least yelling let out some of his boredom.

Just then, he heard a noise outside his door. It sounded like someone breathing hard, and something being dragged across the floor.

"What the…" Axel slowly stood and went to the door. Opening it, he peered outside. His eyes widened when he saw what was going on. "What the hell?" He exclaimed.

---

Xembré sighed, stood and began pacing. Glancing at the clock, she saw the Demyx's ten minutes were almost up. Still gnawing on her finger nail, she continued pacing until she couldn't stand it any more. "Where could Demyx be?" She wondered aloud. She paused, looking at her door. Then she resolutely straightened her shoulders and opened the door. "I'm going to go find him."

---

"Shit…" Zexion hissed under his breath. Glancing up, his eyes fell on Axel, who was standing in his door way.

"What the hell are you doing?" Axel exclaimed. He started forward, scowling. Zexion dropped Demyx's arms, summoning his giant stick again.

"Deplorable…" Zexion muttered the one word before striking Axel hard in the side of the head with the stick. Axel didn't even get a chance to defend himself. He fell to the floor at Zexion's feet with a thump. "Deplorable…" Zexion muttered again.

---

Meandering through the halls of the castle, Xembré continued gnawing her finger nail. Why had Demyx been so late? Demyx was not one to keep someone waiting… The sound of a door closing close by brought Xembré's attention back to where she was going, but not before she collided with Demyx.

"Careful," Demyx said, wrapping his arms around her to steady her. He held her close, his voice muffled by her hair as he spoke again. "You should watch where you're going." He said playfully.

"Sorry," Xembré said. She made to pull out of Demyx's embrace, but found his arms wrapped too tightly around her. Demyx was smiling down at her, seemingly unaware of the fact that she was stuck in his arms. "Uh… You can let go now," She said.

Still smiling, Demyx let go, stepping back a pace. "Why were you so late?" She demanded, crossing her arms and glaring at Demyx.

"Late…?" Demyx cocked his head to one side, looking confused.

Rolling her eyes, Xembré elbowed him in the ribs. "Late for our walk! You said we were going for a walk today." She crossed her arms, pretending to glare at him.

Comprehension dawned on Demyx's face, and he grinned crookedly. "Oh yeah, the walk. Sorry, I forgot." He said. Grabbing her hand, he pulled her down the halls, still smiling.

There was something different about him. His stride was much more purposeful, his eyes gleaming, a small smirk playing about his features. Xembré pondered the difference as they wandered through the halls, casting side-long glances at her blonde friend every now and again. Silently, the two of them wandered out of the castle and through the castle grounds.

The grass muffled the sounds of their footsteps, which were the only sound besides the wind. Whispering quietly in the grass, the wind swept past the two teens, playing with Xembré's hair and chilling her slightly.

"It's cold…" She commented, wrapping her arms around herself and moving closer to Demyx. Demyx put his arms around her in an attempt to keep her warm, and they continued walking in silence.

"Demyx, you dropped something." Xembré said, noticing a small object drop to the ground. She ducked out of his arms and bent down to pick up the object. It was a silver lighter. When she stood straight again, Demyx was watching her with a strange expression on his face.

Reaching out, Demyx grasped the small bottle of blue glitter that hung on a chain around Xembré's neck. "This is pretty." He commented, never taking his eyes off of the pendant. "Where'd you get it?"

Xembré glanced down at the necklace. "I got it from my old boy friend… He gave it to me for our one month anniversary." She said quietly. She turned her head aside, avoiding Demyx's questioning gaze.

Putting a hand under her chin, Demyx tilted her face up so he could look into her eyes. "What's wrong?" He asked her, his tone soft and full of concern.

Xembré took a deep breath. "I feel like I'm being unfaithful to him…" She muttered, not meeting Demyx's gaze. "Whenever I look at Zexion, or talk to Zexion…" She let her sentence trail off, and turned her face away.

"You think you shouldn't be feeling that way toward him…" Demyx finished her sentence for her, lowering his eyes as well. There was a short silence, and Xembré slowly began walking toward the castle. "I don't think you should be feeling unfaithful…" Demyx continued at last. "I don't think your boyfriend will forget you, but he will probably move on and find another girl."

"I don't want to talk about it, Demyx." Xembré said forcefully, clenching her jaw and walking faster. Demyx fell silent, but gently took her hand.

After a few minutes of silence, Demyx hesitated, glancing at Xembré. "Xembré, I've got to ask you something." He said, deadly serious.

"Yeah…?" Xembré turned her head slightly, watching Demyx apprehensively. Since when was Demyx so serious? The halls were empty and totally silent as the two stared at each other silently.

When Demyx finally broke the silence, it was in only a whisper. "I've got to know… Do you really have feelings for Zexion?" The question left a ringing silence behind it. Xembré shifted nervously, her eyes never leaving his face.

"W-why do you ask that..?" She asked, the tremble in her voice betraying the discomfort she felt. She lowered her eyes, blushing lightly.

"Because…" Demyx paused, blushing as well. "Well… Look, I asked you first!" He glared defensively at her, his ocean-blue gaze searching her face. She felt like he was reading her like an open book. Could he see what she was thinking? See what she was feeling? She didn't know.

"Alright…" She sighed, lowering her eyes again. "I really d-do have feelings for Zexion…" She said slowly. "But I don't think anything will ever happen… Every time I've given him a sign that I like him, he's totally pushed me away…" She sighed, and then leaned in to Demyx. His arms traveled slowly around her, holding her close.

They said nothing for a minute, but then Demyx stirred. He held Xembré at arm's length, looking into her face. She looked sad, but appeared to be trying to hide it. Without saying a word, Demyx leaned forward and captured her lips in a kiss.

Xembré started, stepping away from Demyx. "What are you doing?" She asked, obviously alarmed. Demyx didn't answer but kissed her again, pushing her gently against the wall. When Xembré resisted, he smirked and drew away slightly. Then he began nibbling on her ear. "Demyx, s-stop!" She managed to choke.

"But Xembré, I love you." Demyx whispered. He trailed kisses up her throat, across her jaw line and then up to her mouth. "Zexion may not, but I do." He caught her lips in another kiss, but this time she pushed him away forcefully.

"Stop it!" She said firmly. "Just because you have feelings for me doesn't give you the right to kiss me." She said. She folded her arms, glaring at the blonde. "Look, I'm willing to over look it and keep being friends. You're cool, Demyx… But I don't like you that way…" She paused, obviously worried that she had hurt her friend.

"You don't understand." Demyx whispered, his voice husky, his eyes shining with desire. "I can't live without you." He leaned down to kiss her again, but Xembré dodged, slipping out from between him and the wall.

"Something's not right…" She muttered. Demyx turned to face her, a scowl on his face. "Demyx! What's going on?" She folded her arms again, staring Demyx right in the eye.

"I told you, Xembré." Demyx whined. "I love you…" He looked hurt, and ran a hand distractedly through his hair.

Narrowing her eyes, Xembré stuck her chin out defiantly. "I don't believe you. Tell me the truth." She met his gaze, turning on all her powers of persuasion. She could see that he was fighting against her power, but was losing.

Finally, he lowered his eyes and bowed his head. "I'm not Demyx…" He said softly. Xembré blinked in confusion, then started when Demyx suddenly changed into Zexion. "I wanted to know what you really felt about me…" He said, never lifting his eyes off of his boots. "And I wanted to break up your friendship with Demyx, because... I was afraid it might have been something more." His small speech finished, he glanced imploringly at Xembré.

"Zexion, you idiot!" Was all she managed to say. She slapped him hard across the face, making him turn his head to the side, and then she dashed away at top speed.

Zexion remained there for what seemed an eternity, his head still turned to the side. He had hurt Xembré deeply. That much he knew. Lifting a hand to his stinging cheek, he stared after Xembré. Had he _ever_ done something he regretted more?

---

"Demyx!" Xembré shouted, running frantically through the halls. "Demyx!" A muffled bang answered her call and she skidded to a halt outside Demyx's room. Opening the door carefully, she peered inside, only to find the room empty. "Demyx…?" She called again. Another thump answered her call, followed by low, muffled grunt. She walked slowly toward the closet, and opened the door.

"Demyx! Axel!" She cried, looking startled. Her two friends were crammed into the closet, both tied and gagged. Demyx had apparently been kicking the door. He looked up at her with pleading eyes and she immediately knelt down beside him to untie him.

As soon as Demyx was untied, Xembré hugged him tightly, burying her head in his shoulder. He seemed surprised by her sudden action, but returned her hug, resting his chin on her head. Axel struggled against the ropes that were still binding him, letting out an impatient groan as he managed to hit his head on a the wall.

Xembré glanced at him, and then pulled herself out of Demyx's embrace. "Oh, sorry, Axel." She cleared her throat nervously before reaching to untie Axel. As soon as he was untied, Axel leapt up and crossed the room to Demyx's bed where he sat down.

"What happened?" Xembré asked, sitting down beside him.

Demyx sat beside her and put an arm around her. Xembré leaned into his hug, but then recoiled slightly, leaning as far away from him as possible. "H-how do I know you're really you?" She asked, her voice shaking.

Demyx cocked his head to one side, and exchanged glances with Axel. "Why wouldn't I be me?" He asked. Xembré was trembling, and she lowered her eyes to her hands.

"Because…" She paused, and then slowly began telling them of her ordeal with Zexion. The whole time she was talking, she was leaning toward Axel, as though afraid to come into contact with Demyx. Axel's arm slowly went around her shoulders, pulling her close, and she stopped trembling, though she still wouldn't look up at either of them.

When she finished, Demyx reached out to take her hand. "You know I would never do something like that, right?" He asked her. She blinked hard, nodding. "And, if it makes you feel any better, I can prove to you that I'm really me." He ran a hand through his hair and looked at Axel again, seeking advice. Axel merely shrugged.

Xembré passed a hand over her face, slowly slipping her hand out of Demyx's grasp. "Who's your best friend?" She asked, finally lifting her eyes to Demyx's face.

"Aimee." Demyx replied promptly. Xembré grinned and threw herself into his arms.

Axel rolled his eyes, and pulled his gloves off, throwing them on the floor. Then he flopped back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. "So, that's why Zexion did it…" He said softly. "He wanted Demyx out of the way, and when I saw him with Demyx, he had to keep me from interfering too." He sighed deeply, running a hand through his mess of red hair.

Xembré stretched out beside him, blinking sleepily. "Zexion's an idiot. I'm never speaking to him again." She turned onto her side, closing her eyes. Demyx reached out and stroked her hair, but they all remained silent.

"I'm never speaking to him again." Xembré repeated herself, drifting slowly to sleep. Axel and Demyx exchanged glances, but before they could say anything, Xembré had dropped off to sleep.

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Yes, that's the end of chapter ten. I'm sorry if it's a little shorter than usual… And I'm sorry for the delay. I've had major writers block. I'll try my best to get chapter eleven up soon. Please be patient and don't kill me! -hides-

Oh yes. The song that Demyx sings is not mine. I borrowed it from my aunt, who wrote it herself. If it is stolen, I will personally hunt you down and devour your soul.


	11. Pwned in the face

Alone Forever

Chapter Eleven

Welp, here's chapter eleven, guys! I had major writers block for this chapter, and it's really just a filler chapter. I decided I was gonna mess around a little, so this chapter is in Demyx's point of view, rather than the whole chapter being in Xembré's point of view. Anyways, I hope you like this chapter.

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"Do you think he'll try anything else?"

Axel shook his head firmly. "If he does, one of us will be around to prevent it." He said.

Demyx and Axel were deep in conversation. The topic of their conversation was Xembré. The only other occupant of the kitchen was Zexion, who was staring deep into the depths of his cup of tea. It was early, only about seven a.m., but Demyx and Axel were already up. Neither of them had been able to sleep very well; their anxiety over Xembré's situation had kept them awake.

"What about Marluxia?" Demyx asked in concern. He had seen Marluxia looking at Xembré with a very calculating expression a lot lately.

Crossing his arms, Axel scowled. "Like I said: at least one of us will be with her at all times." Demyx nodded, but could not help wondering if Xembré would agree to that arrangement. Even if she didn't, it was necessary. They couldn't risk leaving her alone if her safety was at stake.

At that moment, Xembré entered the kitchen, looking grumpy, but relieved to see Axel and Demyx. "Morning, Xembré!" Demyx said, putting on a grin. He wasn't entirely sure if his smile was convincing, but Xembré didn't appear to notice that anything unusual was going on. She gave Demyx an absentminded hug, which Demyx returned. Demyx could feel the familiar heat in his face as Xembré hugged him and the familiar leaping sensation in the pit of his stomach.

He had come to terms with himself quite some time ago about what exactly that feeling in the pit of his stomach was. He was pretty sure, but not one hundred percent, that the strange, leaping sensation he felt in his stomach whenever he was near Xembré, came from the fact that he… liked her… It had taken him a long time to decide that, and even now that he had become familiar with the feeling, he wasn't sure what exactly was going on.

When Xembré wandered toward the refrigerator, Demyx turned back to Axel, trying to ignore the weight that had settled in the pit of his stomach. Axel was watching Xembré with something like concern on his face. Demyx however, was surreptitiously watching Zexion. With a glare on his face, Demyx noticed that the dark-haired teen was watching Xembré with a –he shuddered at the thought- hungry expression on his face.

Concern took over Demyx's thoughts as he watched Xembré sit at the table with a sigh. He threw a glance at Axel, and then seated himself beside his depressed-looking friend. Axel sat down on her other side.

"You okay?" Demyx asked as Xembré sighed again. She shook her head, and then rested her head on her arms. Demyx stroked his friends' hair comfortingly, all the while aware of how close they were. Xembré didn't respond, but Demyx could feel her relax under his touch. She must not have slept well either.

For a few moments no one spoke. But soon Xembré raised her head off her arms. "Did you guys eat yet?" She asked. Demyx could tell that she was trying to sound casual and cheerful. But he knew her well enough to tell that her smile was fake.

Axel answered before Demyx could even open his mouth. "Yeah, we did. Are you hungry?"

Xembré shrugged. "Not really…" She fell silent when Marluxia and Vexen entered the kitchen. Demyx saw her hand twitch convulsively, and smiled wryly. It was obvious from the scowl on her face that she was still angry at the pink-haired man. The blonde also noticed that Marluxia had a scowl on his face as well. Everyone seemed to be grumpy that morning, a fact that Demyx found strange. Even Zexion seemed more sullen than usual.

As soon as Marluxia entered the kitchen, he began making himself a cup of coffee. Vexen on the other hand seated himself across from Xembré. "Why don't you come visit me in the laboratory any more?" He asked. Demyx shot him a suspicious glance, but Vexen was paying no attention to either he or Axel.

Shrugging, Xembré glanced at Vexen. She hesitated for a moment, but then replied with a question of her own. "Does Marluxia still hang out down there?" She glanced in Marluxia's direction, and Demyx, following her gaze, saw that Marluxia was watching them.

"Yes…" Vexen said slowly. Demyx saw him shift uncomfortably and glance at Marluxia as well.

"Then," Demyx could tell that she was weighing her words carefully. "Well, I would really like to go down there again, but I've been busy and... And if Marluxia is down there, I won't be able to go down there any more." She lowered her eyes, and Demyx thought he saw guilt in her eyes.

Vexen reached out and patted her hand. Demyx's hand twitched, and he quickly hid it out of sight under the table, but no one had noticed. "I understand." Vexen said. Xembré looking up at him again, obviously surprised. Vexen's eyes twinkled and he smiled at the girl. "I just hope that some day you and number twelve can get alone."

Xembré smiled wryly, and Demyx knew why. He disliked Marluxia for the same reason she and Axel did. Not only had Marluxia tried to kill her, he had come close to raping her. Demyx scowled. He had never thought that Marluxia would stoop so low.

After a few more minutes, the kitchen was pretty crowded. Larxene sat down beside Axel and engaged him in conversation. Demyx smirked. Everyone –except Axel- knew that Larxene was after the red-head. It seemed she was tired of Marluxia.

"Come on," Demyx mumbled, nudging Xembré in the ribs. "Let's leave them alone." That got a smile out of Xembré. She glanced at Axel, who was paying no attention to his two friends and her smile widened. Axel seemed totally unaware of what was going on around him.

When Demyx rose, Xembré stood as well. He noticed that Zexion was watching Xembré again. So, it seemed, did Xembré. With a contemptuous toss of her hair, she strode across the kitchen and out the door. Demyx followed, but before he could reach the door, Marluxia had followed Xembré out of the kitchen. Apprehensively, Demyx followed.

He found Xembré standing in front of Marluxia, her hands on her hips and a defiant expression on her face. "Is something wrong?" He asked, trying to sound cheerful. Xembré shook her head. "Then let's go." Anxious to avoid trouble, Demyx took Xembré's hand and pulled her down the halls toward her room. He threw a glance over his shoulder just in time to see Marluxia flip them off. The Graceful Assassin just didn't know when to give up.

"Marluxia's a bastard." Xembre snarled. Demyx glanced sideways at her, and saw that she was scowling. He had never heard Xembré swear before, but she didn't seem to notice the look that the blonde was giving her.

Before Demyx could reply, or comment on her rare use of bad language, Axel came rushing toward them. "Hey, why'd you leave?" He asked. Demyx grinned when he noticed the light blush that Axel wore. "Just because Larxene was there didn't mean you had to leave." Of course. Demyx sighed at Axel's lack of awareness in what was going on. Axel thought they had left because they didn't like Larxene.

Before Demyx could answer, Xembré shrugged. "We were going to my room." She said, and Demyx realized that that was indeed where they were headed. The familiar hot feeling bubbled in the pit of Demyx's stomach, and he wondered vaguely why it was there.

It had come when Xembré had mentioned that they were going to her room. Until Axel had showed up, it would have been just the two of them… He would have been alone with Xembré…

_Ack, Demyx! _He mentally reprimanded himself, shoving every thought of Xembré out of his head. _You're being such a pervert! _He glanced sideways at Xembré, who was talking to Axel, and thankfully they hadn't noticed his momentary silence. He planned on keeping it that way.

When they reached Xembré's room, Demyx had finally succeeded in getting his feelings under control. Poor Xembré looked so lost and confused, and so uncharacteristically angry, that it was all Demyx could do to keep from huggling her. Instead, he quickly glanced around Xembré's room.

The first thing he noticed was that Xembré had ripped every picture she'd ever drawn of Zexion or Marluxia off her walls. But Demyx could see a piece of paper sticking out from under her bed, and he had a sneaking suspicion that she had hidden them all there. Upon closer inspection, the drawing that was still visible from under Xembré's bed was a drawing of Zexion in a towel. Demyx felt his stomach clench painfully.

Xembré seated herself on her bed, which she had failed to make that morning. Axel sat beside her. After a moment's hesitation, Demyx did too. It was quiet, and Demyx didn't like it. He felt like he needed to say something, needed to break the silence. But when he opened his mouth, it was only to find that he voice wouldn't work. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get any words to come out.

Thankfully, he didn't have to, because Axel, who was looking up at the ceiling, spoke. "That's an awesome picture of me." He commented.

Demyx glanced upward and had to agree.

The drawing was a stunning portrait of the pyro. Xembré had somehow managed to capture the enticing twinkle in his eyes, the soft curve of his lips, and even his trade-mark smirk. But after a moment, Demyx's eyes were drawn to the other drawing that was taped to the ceiling above Xembré's bed. That one featured the blonde sitting on his windowsill, playing his sitar and staring up at the heart-shaped moon.

Demyx well remembered that night, when Xembré had come to see him. He remembered the warm feeling he got when holding her close. The feeling he got from the knowledge that he had comforted her. But what he remembered most of all was sensing Xembré's feelings toward Zexion. His non-existent heart sank at the memory. Xembré liked Zexion that much was sure. But how could she after everything he'd done?! Zexion was a perverted bastard! He didn't deserve Xembré!

"Demyx…?" A soft voice and a hand resting on his forearm brought Demyx back to the present. He lifted his eyes to see that Xembré was gazing at him with concern in her eyes. "Are you okay?"

Demyx shrugged, watching as Axel examined the drawing of himself, which he had taken down. "Yeah, I was just thinking." He couldn't tell her what he was thinking about, though. He wished he could, but he couldn't…

Xembré didn't question his answer, and after a moment she turned back to Axel, who was still gazing at the drawing. She sighed, and stood. "Honestly, it's not that good." She said. "You should see what I'm working on now." She crossed the room to her desk, where she picked up her sketch pad. Then he slowly made her way back to the bed, caressing the cover of the sketch book fondly.

"It's not finished yet," She said timidly, handing the book to Axel. The fact that the drawing wasn't finished yet didn't matter. It was still a wonderful drawing, featuring the pyro. Axel's head was turned slightly to the side, but it looked like he was giving the viewer of the picture a side-long glance. He wore an unusual expression: Something like an arrogant smirk mixed with haughty pride. The drawing was still black and white, and there were slight smudges around his mouth and jaw, indicating that Xembré had erased a great deal.

"That's insane…" Axel muttered. "It's so good." Demyx nodded, unable to take his eyes off the drawing. He could tell that Xembré had drawn it with great care, and obvious fondness for the pyro. He glanced up at the drawing of himself and saw that his drawing wasn't anywhere near as fondly drawn…

Xembré took the sketch book back from Axel, drawing Demyx's attention back to her. Scowling down at the picture, Xembré sighed. "I can't get your lips right, though." She complained, glowering at the drawing.

"I don't think it matters all that much…" Demyx said slowly. He was still watching Xembré, whose blue gaze rested on the drawing. When Xembré didn't answer, he glanced at Axel.

Finally, Xembré stirred as though coming out of deep thought. "You don't understand." She said softly, glancing at Demyx. Demyx felt himself wanting to blush. "I'm trying to portray Axel's untouchable side." Demyx exchanged clueless glances with Axel, but then Xembré exploded at them. "Oh come on!" She said, glaring at her two friends. "If I wasn't Axel's friend, do you think he would let me do this?" She threw her arms around Axel, nestling her head in the crook of his neck. Then, she did something she had never, _ever_ done before: She kissed Axel softly on the cheek.

Axel and Demyx stared at her, completely shocked. Demyx didn't know what to think. Xembré had just kissed Axel! And Axel didn't even like her! He wanted to cry, or something. "You're right…" Axel said after a moment of complete silence. "If you were someone else, I would have to kill you." He stared down at the girl who was snuggled close to him, her eyes half-closed. Demyx glanced away angrily.

"You see?" She asked, smiling. Demyx stared determinedly at his own feet. "You're _the _untouchable. I've been trying to portray that in my drawing. But I can't get your mouth right." She moved away from Axel, looking completely unabashed. She didn't seem to notice that Demyx was glaring at the floor, avoiding her eyes.

"Well in that case," Demyx could hear the smirk in Axel's voice. "Let me help you out." Demyx looked up in time to see Axel lean down toward Xembré and for a moment he thought the pyro was going to kiss her! Apparently, so did Xembré. She ducked her head, blushing furiously. Demyx didn't know what to think. Axel had just tried to kiss Xembré! He could barely comprehend it!

"Cut it out!" Xembré said, glaring at Axel who was laughing. Demyx glared at Axel, who merely smirked.

"I was just messing around." He said, and Xembré blushed harder. Demyx had to fight to keep from leaping at Axel. What if Xembré really did like him, and he was just playing around with her? What if she was secretly grieving for the kiss he had nearly given her, but only in fun? Demyx couldn't make himself think of a grief-stricken Xembré.

Demyx was pulled out of his thoughts when Xembré suddenly groaned and flopped backward onto her bed. "What's up?" He asked, cocking his head to one side while looking at the girl who was suddenly looked so frustrated.

Xembré glared up at the roof. "I have to go train with Zexion…" She mumbled. Demyx thought, but he wasn't sure, that he heard an even lower mumble that sounded something like 'bastard'. He smirked. Clearly Xembré didn't want to spend the rest of her morning with Zexion.

She sighed, and sat up. "I guess I have to go though…" She said in a bored tone of voice. "Maybe…" She glanced shyly at Demyx, and he thought he understood.

"Do you mind if I come and watch you today?" Demyx asked, trying to sound as though he'd just thought of it. He knew that Xembré didn't want to be around Zexion, especially if they were alone.

Xembré smiled gratefully. "No, of course I don't mind." She said, and Demyx smiled. "Come on, we'd better get going." She stood and took Demyx's hand, leading him toward the door. Demyx followed obediently, smiling a smile, satisfied smile. He'd never gotten the chance to see Xembré fighting. It would be a fun experience.

Axel followed as well, but they soon parted ways. "I'll see ya later," Axel said, lifting his hand in a small wave. "Have fun training." He smiled, and then started down a different hallway, leaving Xembré and Demyx alone. They continued toward the training room, neither one saying anything. Demyx didn't think he would be able to speak, even if he tried.

It took only a few minutes to reach the training room, but as they neared it, Xembré slowed her pace. She seemed hesitant to enter the training room. She glanced at Demyx, and he gave her a reassuring smile, putting his hand briefly on her shoulder. Hesitantly, she opened the door to the training room and stepped inside, Demyx right behind her.

Xigbar and Zexion turned as Xembré entered the room and she flushed slightly. Demyx could feel her trembling, and as he glanced down at her, she took a hesitant step backward, bumping into him. "What's he doing here?" Xigbar asked, narrowing his one eye at Demyx.

"H-he wanted to watch today." Xembré stuttered. She was so obviously uncomfortable, that Demyx decided to take over.

"I figured I would come watch today." He said, shrugging. "I promise I won't get in the way or anything." He felt Xembré squeeze his hand in thanks, and couldn't keep a smile from spreading across his face. He chanced a glance at Zexion, who was watching Xembré through his curtain of hair. Demyx didn't like the look on the dark-haired teens' face.

Xigbar shrugged. "Whatever." He said, and Xembré smiled slightly.

"Thanks…" She said quietly, but Xigbar didn't seem to hear. So she turned to Demyx. "You can watch from over there." She said, pointing to a long bench against one wall.

Demyx nodded and made his way over to the bench. Then he sat down and watched as Xembré summoned her weapon. He smiled. She looked flustered, but was doing a good job of staying calm. Zexion summoned his weapon as well, and Demyx frowned as he saw that he was holding a scimitar. The curving blade glinted in the light, sending shivers down Demyx's spine. Xembré's katana seemed feeble compared to the large weapon Zexion held.

In spite of that, Xembré lifted her katana, ready to fight.

Demyx had never seen Xembré fighting before. But he loved every minute of it. Her movements were graceful, her attacks sharp. She wasn't hesitant to strike at someone, like some of the girls Demyx had known before. Zexion only managed to get past her guard once or twice. All in all, she was an excellent fighter. Much better than he was.

As the two fought, Demyx kept his eyes focused on Xembré, watching as her expression changed during the fight. When she made a mistake, she would frown, poking her tongue out of her mouth slightly. Demyx noticed that when she did something particularly well, she would smile a quick, satisfied before getting back to the fight.

It was one of the best fights Demyx had ever seen. Both of them were so good that neither one could gain the upper hand. They fought for what seemed like hours, and when Demyx checked his watch, he found his estimate to be nearly correct. Xembré nearly stumbled from fatigue, and even Zexion had to grit his teeth to keep himself from staggering.

Finally, Xigbar tired of watching the endless duel. "That's enough!" He cried, and Xembré let her arms drop as she panted for breath. Demyx rose from the bench and started forward. He reached Xembré in time to hear Xigbar praise her on the improvements she'd made, and then Number Two disappeared into a portal.

"Good job," Demyx said, trying to keep the hint of admiration out of his voice. Xembré merely smiled in a tired sort of way. The Melodious Nocturne could tell that his friend was tired, but it was nothing compared to what Zexion was. The Cloaked Schemer was panting hard, his face flushed and sweat pored down his face.

"Come on, let's go get some lunch." Demyx said, and he started toward the door. He was half way across the training room before he realized that Xembré wasn't with him. When he glanced over his shoulder to see what was keeping her, he saw that Zexion had pinned her against the wall.

Xembré had one hand close to her mouth, and both her arms were between she and Zexion. Even from a distance of thirty feet Demyx could tell that she was trembling and see the fear in her eyes. Zexion was leaning close and whispering to her. He whispered something that made her flush in anger.

Demyx felt anger rising inside him. Zexion was standing _way_ too close to Xembré, and it was obvious that he was making her uncomfortable, perhaps even on purpose. He leaned closer, and brought a hand up to stroke her cheek, and Demyx snapped. He'd been standing on the side-lines watching for too long!

He broke into a dead run toward Zexion, the anger pumping through his veins egging him on. When he reached the two teens, he grabbed Zexion's shoulder, spun him around, and punched him as hard as he could in the face. Zexion fell hard to the floor, holding his aching jaw.

"What the hell?!" He exclaimed, glaring up at the angry blonde.

"Leave Xembré alone, bastard!" Demyx snapped. Zexion stared at the normally halcyon blonde in apparent disbelief as he grabbed Xembré's hand and pulled her to the door. Demyx didn't notice the look Xembré was giving him. He could barely see through the thick fog of anger clouding his senses.

Finally, he glanced at Xembré. She was staring at him with an expression of mixed admiration, fear, confusion, and amusement on her face. "What's with you?" She asked, staring up at him.

"What do you mean?" Demyx inquired uneasily. Had he gone too far?

Xembré sighed. "I mean, 'what's up with you?' You just punched Zexion in the face, Demyx." She blinked, and Demyx felt her tighten her grip on his hand. "Are you okay?" Demyx averted his eyes from the girl beside him, blushing.

"Well, he was being a jerk." He said defensively. "I had to do something! I couldn't just stand there and let him flirt with you." Xembré didn't answer, so Demyx didn't feel he had to elaborate any more. He couldn't explain that he had punched Zexion because he was jealous. Also, the look on Xembré's face and the fact that Zexion was causing that fear and anger was to blame.

For a moment no one spoke, but then Axel came dashing down a side corridor, panting heavily as though he'd been running for a while. "Hey guys," He panted, running a hand through his hair. "How'd the training go?"

Xembré flashed a smile at the red-head, but Demyx merely glanced at him. He didn't feel like talking. "Training was fine," Xembré said. "Demyx punched Zexion in the face." Demyx could hear that she was trying to stifle her laughter.

"No way!" Axel sounded so surprised that Demyx looked up at him defiantly. "Demyx did?!"

"Yes I did!" Demyx snapped, glaring at his best friend. Axel looked skeptical until Xembré assured him that it was true.

"He did," She said, sending a fond smile in Demyx's direction. "Zexion was being a jerk, so Demyx punched him in the face. It was funny; you should have seen Zexion's face." Demyx felt gratitude flood through him. Xembré appreciated what he'd done, even if Axel didn't believe that he'd actually done it. While Axel and Xembré talked, Demyx remained silent, letting his mind wander to the events of that morning. Maybe Xembré did like Zexion, but at least she was mad at him for now.

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I'm sorry for the major delay, guys. DX I got it up as fast as I could. Nothing really major happens in this chapter. You just got an insight on Demyx's life, and his thoughts and feelings. So, I'll get the next chapter up as soon as possible. Hopefully it won't take as long this time. Thanks for reading, and don't forget to review!


	12. The Voice of Persuasion

Alone Forever

Chapter Twelve

Here's chapter twelve. I'm sorry for the delay… My computer hates me… I got it up as soon as possible… Thanks for reading!

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The next few days passed uneventfully. Whenever Xembré trained with Zexion, either Axel or Demyx came to watch. Xembré noticed with a rush of satisfaction that Zexion was sporting a brilliant bruise on his jaw. He generally kept his hood up, but during the training sessions, Xembré would smile smugly whenever her eyes fell on the bruise.

Ever since the day Demyx had punched Zexion, Xembré had noticed a definite change in her friends' behavior. He would often lapse into silence, staring blankly at nothing. Sometimes Xembré caught him gazing at her, but he always looked away quickly. The blonde began skipping meals and he tended to be snappish and grumpy. Xembré couldn't understand what was wrong.

Whenever she asked Demyx if he was okay, or if something was wrong, he would shrug and change the subject. When she did get a straight answer out of him, he very rarely looked her in the eye. Something was wrong with The Melodious Nocturne. But Xembré didn't know what.

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Once day, shortly after Demyx had retired to his room saying he had a head-ache, Axel told Xembré that he wanted to show her something. She tried to question him, but all he would say was 'I can't tell you'. So finally, frustrated and curious all at the same time, Xembré stopped pestering him.

She followed Axel through numerous halls and passages, up several sets of stairs and finally to a large landing. One entire wall was a window, with a window seat underneath it. Xembré had never been there before. Number Thirteen seated herself on the window seat and looked out at the awesome sight.

She was facing the setting sun, so they were obviously in the West Tower. The sun was sinking slowly far out on the horizon, bathing the clouds in shades of deep orange, red and purple. Everything was bathed in the soft, warm light of evening. Xembré had never seen such a beautiful sunset. She was barely aware of Axel sitting down beside her; she was too involved in the scene before her. Down on the castle grounds she could see Marluxia tending his flower garden. His flowers sparkled as though encrusted with thousands of diamonds, because he was watering them. Even the sight of her enemy wasn't enough to dampen Xembré's spirits. 

"It's beautiful…" She breathed, almost regretfully. She hated to break the magic of the moment. She never took her eyes from the breathtaking sight, even when Axel put an arm around her shoulders.

"It is..." He said softly. For the next few moments they were silent. Axel was watching the sunset as well, but he didn't seem to be enjoying it as much as Xembré was.

Xembré forced herself to look away from the sunset after a while and turned to Axel. "Why are you showing me this..?" She asked. It wasn't that she didn't appreciate it. She really did. But it seemed strange for Axel to suddenly take an interest in sunsets and want to watch one with her.

Axel didn't answer right away. When he did answer, Xembré felt her non-existent heart swell with fondness. "Well..." Axel said slowly. "You've been really down lately, and I figured you needed some cheering up…" He looked away when Xembré looked up at him. He seemed embarrassed about the whole thing.

"That's so sweet," Xembré said, smiling. "I'm really lucky to have a friend like you, Axel."

They sat in comfortable silence for a while then, watching the glorious sunset. Xembré let her head rest on Axel's shoulder, sighing in a content, sleepy way. She was suddenly so tired, and it was so nice to sit there with Axel that she couldn't help it. She slowly dropped off to sleep, the last thought going through her mind being: I just hope no one sees us…

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Axel smiled when he realized that Xembré was asleep. She was like a little kid. When she was tired, she fell asleep, no matter where she was. Once he had caught her sleeping outside on the grass. That time she'd been with Demyx. Axel sighed, and stood, carefully so as not to wake her. He could tell that Demyx really liked Xembré, but he wasn't sure how Xembré felt about Demyx. He had the feeling that his blonde friend was heading for a major heart break. Or, he would be if he had a heart…

Deciding that the best thing to do was take Xembré to her room, Axel picked the sleeping girl up and created a portal to her room. It was quicker than walking. The girl shifted in his arms, and mumbled something. Axel couldn't tell what she had said, but a frown was on her face. Maybe she was dreaming…

When Axel set Xembré carefully on her bed, the girl stirred as though about to wake. "Woops…" Axel whispered. He hadn't meant to wake her. But instead of waking up, Xembré merely let out a small whimper. That confirmed Axel's suspicion that Number Thirteen was dreaming. Her dream didn't seem to be a happy one, though…

Shrugging, Axel started for the door. There was something he wanted to do before retiring for the night. But right as he reached out to open the door, a scream broke the stillness of the night. He whirled around to see Xembré tossing and turning on the bed. She let out a loud whimper, and Axel started slowly back toward her. That must have been one hell of a bad dream!

"T-Trevor!" Xembré cried; Axel could hear a hint of a sob in her voice. Clearly she was talking in her sleep. "Trevor, don't leave!" Axel padded slowly toward the bed again, gazing down at the tormented girl. He didn't know what to do. She was tossing and turning, and yelling all kinds of things.

Finally, when the red-head could stand it no longer, he sat on the edge of the bed and began stroking Xembré's hair softly. She calmed slightly, muttering one last 'Trevor…' before slipping back into uneasy, but hopefully dreamless sleep. Axel sat there for several minutes, watching as Xembré's breathing steadied and she relaxed. Once she was sleeping peacefully again, Axel stopped stroking her hair and made to stand up, but before he could, Xembré had wrapped her arms around him, cuddling close.

She looked so comfortable that Axel couldn't bring himself to disturb her. Resigned to a night spent in Xembré's room, Axel stretched out on the bed, allowing the girl to snuggle closer to him. He didn't mind so much. It was just that he had really wanted to… But that didn't matter. Keeping Xembré happy was much more important.

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Axel woke the next morning to find Xembré nestled comfortably in his arms, sleeping deeply and peacefully. Thankfully she wasn't awake yet. She would probably want to know why he was there, and why she was sleeping in his arms. He wasn't eager to explain the situation to her, no matter how innocent it was. So, he roused himself enough to carefully ease himself off the bed. Xembré stirred and then turned over, but didn't wake. Axel sighed in relief. Opening a portal, Axel cast one more look at the sleeping Xembré before stepping into the portal, which led to his room. She was fine…

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When Xembré woke, her room was empty. She sat up, stretching, and glanced at the clock. It was already ten o'clock! Why hadn't Axel or Demyx come to wake her? Angry with herself for sleeping late, missing breakfast and her training session and also probably worrying Demyx and Axel, she leapt out of bed, only to sink slowly back into a sitting position. The dream she'd had the night before came rushing back to her and she buried her face in her hands, trying to forget it.

For a moment she sat in silence, breathing deeply as she tried to calm herself. It was a dream, nothing more. Nothing could change what had happened. She was stuck…

As those thoughts went through her head, a knock came on her door. "Come in," She said without thinking. She regretted her words as soon as the door opened; Marluxia had entered her room. "What do you want?" She asked, glaring at the pink-haired man. She found it hard to believe that she had once counted that man as her friend.

"The whole castle is looking for you," Marluxia said smoothly. "The Superior had a very important announcement to make at Breakfast, but seeing as you weren't there, we had to postpone the moment." He folded his arms, watching as Xembré absently smoothed the covers of her bed. "When you didn't show up for breakfast at all, and you didn't answer when we knocked on your door, The Superior became worried and issued a search." Xembré rolled her eyes and stood.

"I'm sorry I inconvenienced you, Number Eleven," Her voice dripped with loathing. "I'll be down soon." She turned away, and Marluxia, taking her hint, left. Wondering vaguely what Xemnas had wanted to announce, Xembré pulled on her cloak and then tied her hair back in a pony tail. It was no use taking a long time to get ready. Sooner or later she would have to face the other members of the Organization.

A few minutes later, she walked slowly into the kitchen for a late breakfast. Both Axel and Demyx were there, but the greeting Xembré had just been about to call to them died on her lips when she saw Saix. The blue-haired man was standing next to the counter, his arms folded and a scowl on his face.

"The Superior wants you all in the meeting room as soon as you're done eating." He said. Xembré was too scared to answer, but apparently Saix didn't need a response. He disappeared into a portal almost before the words were out of his mouth. Xembré let out a sigh of relief and then flopped into a chair beside Demyx, who looked half-asleep.

"What did Xemnas want to announce today…?" Xembré asked. Neither of her friends gave her a direct answer. They both shrugged, and glanced away. Something wasn't right… She could tell that both of her friends had something on their mind. Demyx was fidgeting with the zipper of his cloak, and looking everywhere but at Xembré. Axel however looked extremely thoughtful, which was quite unusual for the red-head.

Choosing to ignore the odd behavior of her friends, Xembré decided that it would be best to eat quickly and go to the meeting room. It wasn't good to keep Xemnas waiting. Neither of her too friends spoke as she ate, or when the three of them started toward the meeting room. Demyx gazed at the floor, still fingering the zipper of his cloak. Axel was thinking so hard that he didn't notice when Larxene popped out of no where and tried to talk to him.

The four teens entered the meeting room at the same time, to find that the rest of the Organization was already there. Xembré let her eyes wander over the other members, and they were all glaring at her. All except Zexion and Vexen. Zexion's expression was hard to read, as usual, but Vexen gave her a small smile as she looked his way. Xembré had no time to greet him, however, because Xemnas stood then. The four of them hastily took their seats. 

"The reason I have called this meeting," Xemnas said, and quiet instantly fell over the room. "Which should not have been a meeting in the first place," He glared at Xembré, who lowered her eyes to the table. She hadn't meant to keep everyone waiting. "Is that, after careful consideration, I have chosen a title for Number Thirteen."

Xembré looked up at Xemnas, excitement written all over her face. She had often wondered what her title was. After all, Axel was The Flurry of Dancing Flame, Demyx was The Melodious Nocturne, and Zexion was The Cloaked Schemer. She had spent many long hours wondering when she would get her title, and what it would be when she did get it. She could hardly wait for Xemnas to announce it.

The Superior waited for the murmur of interest to die down before speaking again. "Number Thirteen's title will be The Voice of Persuasion." There was a loud explosion of applause from Axel and Demyx, which was joined by the polite applause of the other members. Xembré flushed and stared at the table again, until the applause had subsided. Then she looked at Axel and Demyx, an embarrassed smile on her face.

"Now," Xemnas continued. "You can all go." There was an immediate sound of chairs scraping against the floor as everyone stood. Xembré stood slowly, carefully avoiding looking at Zexion. She could feel someone's eyes on her, but she didn't really want to know who's they were. She only looked up when Demyx rushed toward her and hugged her tightly.

"What an awesome title," Demyx said, as Xembré grinned. He let go of her only when she squirmed slightly in his arms. "I wonder how Xemnas thought of it…" Xembré turned as someone gave a dry cough behind them. It was Zexion.

"I suggested it," He said. Xembré frowned, but Zexion wasn't paying any attention to her. He was looking at Axel, who was surreptitiously fingering one if his chakrams. When Xembré saw that Axel was holding his chakram, she frowned in confusion. Was he threatening Zexion?

"You did?" Demyx asked, obviously just a little disbelieving. "Really?" He put an arm protectively around Xembré as Zexion stepped closer, but the shorter boy still didn't look at The Voice of Persuasion.

"Come on, guys," Xembré said, tugging on Demyx's sleeve. She never liked it when Zexion fixed her with a calculating stare, but it was worse when he didn't look at her at all. It was as though he was avoiding her gaze to keep her from persuading him to do something. She didn't like it at all. It made tingles go up and down her spine.

Demyx glanced down at her. She gazed silently up and pleadingly up at her blonde friend, hoping her would understand. He raised an eyebrow, and gave her a crooked smile. "Okay, let's go." He said, fondly ruffling Xembré's hair. Xembré smiled gratefully. 

"See ya, Zex," Axel said, giving Zexion a sarcastic wave and starting for the door. Something in Axel's tone of voice made Xembré want to laugh, but she resisted the urge by turning her laughter into a cough. Zexion sent her a fleeting glance. In that split second when he met her eyes, a shiver went down her spine. She shuddered, and let her grip tighten convulsively on Demyx's sleeve.

The three of them left the meeting room together, heading outside. Xembré was barely listening to what Axel and Demyx were saying. She would give a half-hearted 'Mmm,' every once in a while, but her mind was elsewhere. She hated to admit it, but she couldn't stop thinking about Zexion.

What would she be doing right now if Zexion hadn't been such a jerk? IF she hadn't been mad at Zexion, would he be there right now? She found her mind wandering further and further until she found herself wondering if he would be kissing her right then if she had been speaking to him, rather than ignoring him. A mental image of Zexion in a towel floated behind her eyes. She didn't even know where the thoughts were coming from…

"Xembré!" Xembré snapped into reality to find Demyx waving his hand in front of her face. They were outside on the castle grounds, near a large, intricately designed fountain that spit water high into the sky, sending it tinkling back into the basin below. When Demyx saw that she was paying attention to him, he grinned. "I said your name three times. What's up?"

Axel hit Demyx hard in the shoulder. "She's day-dreaming, can't you tell, you Pink kitty?" Xembré flushed. It was a good thing they didn't know what she had been thinking. If they knew, they would never let her live it down. Thankfully, they were too distracted to notice Xembré's discomfort.

"You're a Pink kitty!" Demyx shouted. Xembré knew it was all just in fun, but she wasn't in the mood for their childish games. She sighed, wrapping her arms around herself and staring at the ground.

"No, you're a Pink kitty!" Axel smirked.

"Yeah, well," Demyx hesitated for a moment before going on. "Your mom's a Pink kitty!"

"Your face is a Pink kitty!" Axel shot back.

"Oh snap!" Demyx blanched. "I'm gonna have to think about that one…" He stared hard at the ground until Axel rolled his eyes and hit him lightly in the shoulder again.

"Go think about it somewhere else then. I've got to talk to Xembré." Xembré sent a sharp glance at the red-head. He was avoiding her eyes. The blonde was too preoccupied to notice anything amiss. He disappeared into a portal, and expression of extreme thoughtfulness on his face. Once he was gone, Axel turned and sat on the edge of the fountain, trailing a hand in the cool water. Xembré sat beside him silently, watching as the sparkling water fell into the bottom of the fountain.

When she could finally stand it no longer, she turned to look at the quiet pyro. "What did you want to talk to me about, Axel?" She didn't like the look on Axel's face. He was far too uncharacteristically serious.

"Well, I just wanted to ask you something…" Xembré blinked, encouraging him to go on. "Who's Trevor?"

The dream she'd had that night flashed through her mind. "Why do you ask?" She inquired, feigning innocent curiosity. Hoping earnestly that Axel was just asking a simple question, she looked anxiously up at the red-head who was still looking extra serious.

"You were talking in you sleep last night." His tone was so serious, and his emerald gaze so piercing that Xembré lowered her eyes to stare at her boots. "You kept yelling for Trevor."

So he'd heard. She had had her usual nightmare last night: The one where Trevor jogged away from her, fading slowly into the darkness, leaving her to be consumed by the heartless. He always turned, gave her a smile and lifted a hand in farewell, just like he had every day after waling her home from school. There was no use lying. Axel knew…

"He was my boyfriend…" She whispered. "Last night I dreamed that Trevor left me…While I was being attacked by heartless. He was acting so normal; it was like he didn't care." She fell silent, staring blankly at her feet until Axel put a hand on her shoulder.

"You miss him, don't you…?" He asked, holding her gaze as she lifted her chin to look up at him. If she hadn't known they were Nobodies, she would have said he was holding back a look of sorrow. A flicker of understanding flashed through his eyes as she nodded helplessly, unable to speak. Her mouth was so dry it felt like she'd swallowed a mouthful of sand.

Axel's hand tightened on her shoulder and he opened his mouth to speak. However, a dark portal opened beside them before he could say anything, and Demyx stepped out.

"You're a Pink kitty's backside!" He said, practically glowing with triumph.

Axel raised an eyebrow at the blonde, but Xembré laughed. "You are so weird, Demyx," She said, fondly ruffling his blonde locks before hugging him tightly.

Sensing the grief of his friend, Demyx held her close, stroking her hair in a comforting way. Axel grinned and slipped quietly away, leaving the two of them alone. He knew Demyx would appreciate it. And besides, there was something he wanted to do.

---

Yeah, so that's chapter twelve… I'm sorry for the delay, my computer hates me. And I had minor writers block. But I got it up as soon as possible. Thanks for reading! I'll get chapter Thirteen up soon. I hope. . 


	13. The Truth Untold

Alone Forever

Chapter Thirteen

_Hey guys, Sorry about the delay. Here's chapter thirteen. Enjoy!_

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As the days passed, Xembré began arriving late for her training sessions with Zexion. Xigbar made no comment on Xembré's tardiness at first, but when she starting showing up at least a half-hour late, he made up his mind to talk to her about it.

Normally Xembré would never have considered skipping a training session. But she couldn't stand spending up to three hours with Zexion. She was still refusing to speak to The Cloaked Schemer, and only acknowledged his presence when she was required to fight him.

The whole Organization was noticing the change in Xembre's attitude. She was less likely to greet a higher rank when she met them in the halls, and she was much more likely to ignore anyone who spoke to her, or snap when they made her talk. Several times she wandered down to Vexen's laboratory, but each time she found Marluxia there. Unwilling to spend any time with the charming male, she always crept away without drawing attention to herself.

As time went by, the weather grew colder and colder. Xembré wasn't sure if it snowed in the World That Never Was, but she hoped it would. But as time went by, it didn't look like it did. November was already half over and there was no sign of snow. Xembré was a bit disappointed. She had never seen snow.

One Saturday morning, when Xembré was still sleeping, someone knocked loudly on her door. She groaned and rolled over, pulling the covers over her head. "Go away!" She said as loudly as she could while half-asleep. The knocking stopped, and she sighed in relief, snuggling deeper under the covers.

Then her door slammed open and someone entered her room. "Wake up, Xembré! It's snowing!" Xembré peaked out from under the covers at the irrepressible blonde who stood beside her bed, grinning from ear to ear. He looked as though he'd been lightly dusted with sugar, cold air was seeping out of his clothes, and his face was pink with cold.

"Did you say it's snowing?" She asked curiously. She sat up, watching as Demyx nodded excitedly.

"Yup," He pointed toward Xembre's window, through which they could see numerous flakes of white floating softly by. Xembré could hardly believe her eyes. She rose as though in a trance, and stepped closer to the window, looking out at the snow-covered castle grounds. Everything was blanketed by a layer of soft, sparkling snow. Xembré let out an awe-filled sigh at the sight and then turned back to Demyx, her eyes shining.

"It's pretty neat, huh…?" Demyx said. All Xembré could do was nod. She couldn't find words to describe the scene. Seeing that Xembré was speechless, Demyx grinned and went on. "I'll go get Axel, and then come back. Make sure you dress warm!" Then he bounced out of her room.

When Demyx returned with Axel, he found Xembré standing at her window, staring outside at the snow-covered world. Xembré had dressed in a T-shirt, sweat shirt, jeans, and her cloak. She was almost too warm, but she was sure that would change once she got outside.

She turned at the sound of foot-steps, smiling brightly at her two friends. Her eyes were shining with pure joy. "Come on, let's go!" Smiling, she opened a portal and stepped through, followed closely by Axel and Demyx.

Her portal took them to the steps of the castle. It was freezing cold outside. Everything was muffled in a blanket of thick, white, shining snow. Xembré stood motionless, gazing breathlessly about. Clouds brooded gloomily in the sky, sprinkling snow on the world below.

Axel and Demyx rushed forward, laughing and shouting. As they ran, Axel shoved Demyx hard and sent him sprawling head-first into a snow bank. Laughing, Xembré ran to help Demyx up. He was shivering, but he couldn't have looked happier. Which deft movements, he bent and scooped up a handful of snow, shaping it into a ball and then quickly throwing it at Axel. It landed harmlessly a few feet away from the red-head.

"Let's have a snow-ball fight!" Demyx exclaimed. Axel answered by throwing a retaliatory snowball at The Melodious Nocturne and hitting him full in the face.

"Alright, let's have a snowball fight." Axel said. "We each have ten minutes to build a snow fort." Demyx nodded in agreement. "Come on, Xembré. You can be on my team." Axel grabbed Xembre's arm and pulled her away. Demyx was too excited to protest. The two teams used their ten minutes well, constructing the best snow for they could manage. Axel did most of the work because Xembré lacked a certain amount of snow-fight experience. Demyx was doing splendidly on his own. His snow fort was a three foot high wall of solid ice.

"Are you ready yet?" Demyx asked impatiently while he watched Axel and Xembré packing snowballs. He didn't really have to worry about that. He could whip up a whole batch of snowballs in a trice.

"Almost!" Axel replied. That was almost a lie. He was just finishing their last snowball when he answered. The instant he was done, he stood and sent it flying toward Demyx. The blonde, who had been standing outside his fort, narrowly dodged the missile, but tumbled backwards into his fort.

"Hey, you're gonna mess up my rockin' mullet!" Demyx cried, struggling up and sending a snowball back at Axel.

Thus the fight began. It grew more and more ferocious as time passed. At one point, Axel was nearly decapitated when Demyx threw an 'ice ball' at him. A ban was immediately put on all ice balls. The fight only ended when Demyx pasted Xembré full in the face with a snowball, sending her sprawling.

"Shit, you okay?" Axel asked, pulling Xembré to her feet and wiping snow from her face. She looked cold, wet and miserable. She was shivering, her face was red, and she was soaked.

As she nodded, Axel pulled her into a brief hug. Xembré surprised him by wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in his chest. "You're warm, Axel." She said, her voice some-what muffled. Axel's expression was a mixture of a grin, and a look of surprise.

Before Axel could reply, Demyx rushed up. "Sorry about that. Did I hurt you?" He ruffled her hair fondly as she shook her head. Then, seeing how miserable she looked, he made a suggestion. "Let's go inside and get hot cocoa!" He said, and he made a portal.

Axel tried to detach himself from Xembré, who still clung to him, but failed. So, giving up, he walked through the portal, followed by Demyx, who was frowning.

The kitchen was crowded. Saix stood silently to one side, brooding about something or other, while Marluxia and Vexen spoke together not too far away. As usual, Zexion was sitting at the table, staring blankly into the depths of his cup of tea. Larxene was trying and failing to get Xigbar to help her and Luxord bake cookies.

Axel, Demyx and Xembré stood frozen for a moment, trying to comprehend Larxene baking cookies. As soon as the normally sadistic blonde caught sight of the trio, she called them over to try the cookies. Axel started forward at once, with Xembré still clinging to him. Larxene's eyes flashed but she ignored Xembré and focused instead on getting Axel to sample the different types of cookies. Soon enough Xembré was called away by Vexen, and Larxene had the redhead all to herself, at least until Demyx arrived.

"What's with Xembré?" Larxene asked, glancing at the other girl. "Why was she latched onto you like that?"

Axel shrugged, completely oblivious to Larxene's hand on his forearm. "She was using me as a heater." He sneakily snatched another cookie as Luxord passed carrying a plateful of them. Larxene smiled warmly as Axel took a bite, sighing happily. The cookies were so good!

Xembré stood beside Vexen, gazing down at the small scrap of paper she held. It was a note, written anonymously, telling her to meet…_someone,_ in the West Tower at 2:04 that afternoon. The handwriting looked vaguely familiar; it was bold, but written in delicate, loopy cursive.

"You found this at my place at dinner last night?" She asked, just to confirm. Vexen nodded. Xembré shifted her gaze from Vexen to Marluxia, who was standing silent and passive near by, watching through half-lidded eyes.

"I advise you to be careful…" Vexen said slowly. He sent a furtive glance at Marluxia, then continued. "Due to your… past experiences."

He was cut off when Marluxia snorted and strode suddenly and angrily out of the kitchen. Xembré watched him go, then turned her attention back to Vexen.

"Thank you for your concern," She said, smiling and patting his arm lightly. "I'll be careful." Soon after that she let the kitchen to change her clothes. She was still wet from the snowball fight.

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Later that day, Xembré stood in the West Tower, leaning against a wall and tapping her foot impatiently on the floor. She checked her watch. It was 2:03.

Who was she supposed to be meeting anyway? Her mind flew to Zexion, but the handwriting was definitely not his. Her next choice was Demyx; maybe he had finally decided to tell her what was wrong. But, while Demyx did write in cursive, his writing was not quite so loopy.

While she was thinking over the possibilities, she watched her watch change from 2:03 to 2:04. Right at that moment, someone stepped out of the shadows. The someone had their hood pulled up. But from the body-build, tall, lean and lithe, she could tell it was one of three people: Axel, Demyx, or Marluxia. When the Nobody spoke, however, she had no trouble recognizing the smooth, charming voice of Number Eleven.

"I'm glad you decided to show up."

Xembré frowned, and clenched her fists. "What do you want, Marluxia?" She demanded her voice sharp.

Number Eleven lowered his hood in one fluid movement to reveal his serious features. He was not frowning, or angry. He just looked solemn. "I wanted to talk to you." He replied.

Xembré was beginning to wish she had told Axel and Demyx about the note. No matter how much she despised Marluxia, she still feared him. He stepped closer, and she took a step away from him, only to find her back against the wall. That was not a good position to be in. Remembering her last incident with the charming male, she opened a portal, intent on escaping to the safety of her room.

"Wait! I must speak with you!" The urgency in Marluxia's voice caused Xembré to hesitate. She glanced at Marluxia. He was wearing an expression of sullen-ness, which lifted slightly when Xembré let the portal fade. She turned back to the older man, frowning.

"Hurry up." She spat, making no attempt to control the contempt in her voice. "I've got better things to do." She stood watching as Marluxia considered her for a moment.

Finally she spoke, hesitantly. "You know that day, when… when you were poisoned."

"You mean when you poisoned me!" Xembré bristled in disbelief at what Marluxia was saying.

Marluxia merely looked guilty. "I admit it was my poison. One of my strongest. But it was not intended for you." He began to finger a lock of his hair nervously. When Xembré merely looked confused, he went on. "It was intended for Number Six. I put the poison on his food, but somehow you got it."

Xembré shook her head. "If this is true, why were you trying to poison Zexion?" She did not, of course, believe the wild tale. She simply wanted to hear all the facts.

Marluxia's guilty expression changed swiftly to one of loathing. "My sources tell me that apparently I…" He hesitated before whispering two words. "_Want you… _And I acted in a way that I normally would have never."

"You tried to kiss me! And I don't even want to think about what might have happened next." So far Xembré had heard nothing of interest, and her patience was wearing thin.

"That may have been me in appearance, but it was not truly me. I can assure you, I was tied up in my closet at the time." He paused for a moment, as though expecting Xembré to say something. When she said nothing, only looking more confused, he went on.

"When Vexen told me of my supposed actions, I immediately thought of Number six. Who else can change their appearance?" He paused again, took a deep breath, and went on. "I swear this is true. If you doubt, ask Vexen."

Xembré shook her head. "You expect me to believe this story?" She asked incredulously. "I would sooner believe that Demyx is as incompetent as everyone seems to think." With that scornful remark, she stalked away.

"If it helps any, I'm sorry!" Marluxia called after her, but she ignored him.

She strode through the halls, her mind still on what Marluxia had told her. The story seemed crazy. Yet the pleading and guilt in his eyes had seemed sincere. She only stopped her relentless march through the castle when Larxene lunged out of no where and slammed her hard against a wall.

"What the-" Xembré gasped. Her breath had been knocked out.

"Hello, bitch." Larxene snarled, smirking. "Where have you been, having a nice make-out session with Axel?" She smiled maliciously.

Xembré was too stunned to reply at first. Then she came to her senses. "Why would I make-out with Axel?!" The idea was just as crazy as Marluxia's story.

Larxene slapped Xembré hard, stunning her momentarily. "Shut up. I know you like him. I saw that way you were clinging to him earlier. It's so obvious!" She sneered at the other girl. Xembré wasn't sure what to think, or do. When Xembré said nothing, Larxene hit her again.

"Just admit it, you little slut. You're absolutely crazy about him. And you're jealous of me, because he likes me better than he likes you!" The absurdity of Larxene's lies was too much for Xembré to take in. She could only stand there and let Larxene throw insults at her, and take the blows from the blonde.

She was rescued when Axel appeared around a corner. "Hey!" Axel cried upon spotting the two girls. "What's going on?" He rushed to Xembré's aid, pushing the two girls apart.

Larxene put on a simpering smile. "I was just talking to Xembré here." She said, smiling in what she clearly thought was a winning way.

Axle clearly didn't believe her. "I just saw you hit her!" He exclaimed. "Come on, Xembré!" He pulled Xembré away toward his room, leaving Larxene to glare after them.

The two friends said nothing as they wandered through the castle. Axel stayed protectively close to Xembré, glaring at all who passed. No one paid much attention to them anyway.

When they reached Axel's room, they entered quietly.

"Axel! There you are! I needed to ask…" The voice, belonging to Demyx, faded away into silence as Xembré entered the room. The blonde was sitting cross-legged on Axel's bed, distinctly red in the face. He glanced away quickly when Xembré looked at him, but Xembré was not unduly concerned. Her mind was on Marluxia.

Axel practically ignored Demyx. He was pacing back and forth in front of his door. Something seemed to be bothering him. At regular intervals he would make an effort to stop pacing, but the restless energy he was obviously trying to expel always got the better of him. After a while of watching him pace, Xembré sat on the bed beside Demyx. The blonde shifted and glanced at Xembré once before looking swiftly away.

"Oh yeah…" Axel stopped pacing to face Demyx. "What did you want to ask me?" He seemed to have completely forgotten about his two friends until that moment.

Demyx flushed, looking away. "It's not important…" He mumbled, carefully avoiding looking at Xembré. "I was just… I mean… Uh…" He looked pleadingly at Axel, who seemed to understand some unspoken request and nodded. Xembré wasn't entirely sure what was going on. There seemed to be some secret between her two friends. She hated not knowing what was going on.

Axel ran a hand through his hair and then threw himself down on the bed. "Why don't you guys go down to the kitchen? I hear Larxene and Luxord baked a cake."

Xembré raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you going to come?" She inquired, a bit suspicious. Lately Axel had been sneaking off, leaving Xembré with Demyx. It was suspicious, and Xembré's natural curiosity had been aroused.

Axel shrugged. "There's something I want to do, first." He said, not quite meeting her eyes. "I'll be down there soon."

Xembré wanted to protest, to find out what Axel wanted to do, but Demyx intervened. "Come on, let's just go." He said, and he pulled Xembré into a portal.

They reached the kitchen instantly. They were obviously not the only ones were looking to snack on something. Xigbar, Saix, Luxord and Xaldin were all playing poker and getting slowly drunk; each of them had a bottle of beer in front of them. Sitting sullenly in one corner, as usual, Zexion seemed to be only just away. It also looked like he had been outside. Marluxia was poking at a piece of chocolate cake. Xembré hesitated when she saw Marluxia. She still wasn't sure if she believed him or not.

Demyx muttered something about making hot cocoa, and slipped away. Not really hungry, Xembré wandered toward the table, where she sat across from Marluxia. He looked up, and Xembré smiled quietly at him. He seemed surprised, but returned the smile with a small half-smirk.

Neither of them spoke, but there didn't seem to be any need for words. More had been said in that simple exchange of smiles than they could have ever said with words. After a moment Demyx strode toward them, setting a mug of cocoa in front of Xembré with more force than necessary. Then he sat beside her, folding his arms and glaring at Marluxia, who raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

Xembré tugged on the blonde's sleeve, pulling him down to whisper in his ear. She whispered earnestly to him for a moment, and at one point he glanced sharply at Number Eleven. Marluxia pretended not to notice. After a while, Demyx voiced a question.

"So if was Zexion…?" He seemed reluctant to believe it. But Xembre had made up her mind. She believed Marluxia's tale, partly because she wouldn't put it past Zexion to do something like that.

Marluxia sneered. "It could only have been him." He said in answer to Demyx's question. "Who else could possibly have done it?"

Demyx frowned stubbornly. "How do we know you're telling the truth?"

Xembré sighed, but then perked up as Vexen entered the kitchen. She caught his eye and went to talk to him, leaving Demyx and Marluxia sitting at the table. They stared at each other until Xembré returned with Vexen. The older blonde sat next to Marluxia, while Xembré took her seat beside Demyx. Once again Xembré whispered in Demyx's ear, and this time he smiled, a bit reluctantly, it seemed.

Marluxia smiled, and Xembré smiled back. "Maybe tomorrow I'll hang out with you in the lab." Vexen smiled at that. Demyx slouched in his seat.

-----

At dinner than night, Xembré kept feeling someone's eyes on her. Whenever she looked up, though, it was to find that everyone was focused on their food. She had a feeling it was either Axel, Demyx, Marluxia or Zexion. Actually, it was all of them. She had told Demyx all about what had happened with Larxene. The sadistic blonde was acting as thought it hadn't happened, and Axel seemed to have forgotten about it. But Demyx had seemed quite interested in the story. He had disappeared for hours, and had not made a reappearance until dinner.

After several minutes of silence, Xembré spoke. "Axel, can you pass the salt?"

The redhead looked up, frowning slightly. "Why? It's right in front of Zexion."

Xembré kept a look of forced curiosity on her face. "Right in front of who?" She asked, tilting her head to one side.

Sudden understanding shone in Axel's eyes, and he sighed before reaching to his left for the salt. The salt traveled down the table to Xembré, who smiled. "Thanks." Axel grunted.

It was quiet for several more minutes. The only noise was the sound of silverware clinking against dishes. Then the stillness was broken again, this time by Zexion.

"Number eleven, could you please pass the pepper."

Marluxia scowled. "Why don't you ask Xembré for it?"

"Ask who?"

Marluxia's scowl deepened, but he reached for the pepper, which was right in front of Xembré. The pepper made its way to Zexion, and then all was quiet once again.

Shortly afterward, Xembré asked for the butter, which sat in front of Zexion. In retaliation, Zexion asked for the salt, ignoring Xembré, who could have easily reached it. Things went that way during the entire meal, until everyone was sick and tired of it. When the meal was over, everyone rushed away, but Demyx stayed where he was. His plan was going to need adjustments.

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_Well, there's chapter Thirteen, and once again, I'm really sorry it took so long. It all started when I made _Alone Forever_ my second priority. Then, my old computer was on the verge of dying, and our laptop broke, so I was completely computer-less for several weeks. Once we got a new computer, and I saw how much everyone wanted me to update, I got cracking and finished the chapter. Now, it's up and I can assure you I'll do my best to get chapter Fourteen up sooner than I did Thirteen. Thanks for your patience, and thank you for reading! Please don't forget to review! Reviews make me write faster. –wink- _


	14. Attack of the Mistletoe

Alone Forever

Chapter Fourteen

_Well guys, here's chapter Fourteen. I got it up as soon as I could. Hope you like it!_

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"So, you wish to hold a Christmas party…" Two shadowing figures were walking through the halls of Castle Oblivion. The taller of the two had spoken.

The shorter one nodded enthusiastically. "Yup. The boss says it's okay. It's going to fix some things. Will you help me?" They stopped and looked at each other.

"Of course." They shook hands. "Things will be much better after this."

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Xembré woke one morning to find Axel and Demyx in her room. She sat up, and Axel and Demyx smiled sheepishly at her. Demyx had his hands behind his back. Confused, Xembré squinted at her friends.

"What are you doing?" She asked, running a hand through her hair.

"Uh…" Demyx glanced nervously around. "There's a party tonight, six o'clock, don't be late!" He said quickly, and then he fled the scene.

Still half-asleep, Xembré looked to Axel. "What? A party?" She was not completely sure what was going on.

"Yeah," Axel shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "I, uh… I'm supposed to take you and Larxene shopping." He looked embarrassed as he said it.

Xembré stretched, yawning. "Okay… Give me a minute, and I'll get dressed." She was still not exactly sure what was happening, but the prospect of shopping was cheering. She hadn't been shopping in forever!

Axel nodded and left, closing the door behind him. When he was gone, Xembré clambered out of bed and began rummaging through her closet. It was Friday, so she could wear anything she wanted. She considered for a long while, and finally decided on a tight, long-sleeved shirt, and a denim skirt over tights. She liked the look, especially the shirt, because it was pink.

Axel returned several minutes later. Now that she was fully awake, Xembré saw that he was wearing jeans and a black T-shirt. Larxene accompanied him, wearing pants that looked two sizes too small, a spaghetti strap shirt, and a tightly fitting hoody. Trying to forget that The Savage Nymph had accused her of making-out with Axel, Xembré greeted them with a smile.

"Ready?" Xembre nodded, and Axel opened a portal. He stood back so Larxene and Xembré could step through, then followed.

When Xembré stepped out of the portal, she found herself in an unfamiliar place. People were milling around, talking, laughing, holding hands in some cases. It appeared to be winter, but there was no snow. Soon Xembré realized that they were near a mall. Xembré had not been in a mall for… forever!

"Come on!" Larxene pulled Axel away by the arm, and Xembré followed. They entered a clothes store, and Xembré smiled. Like any girl, she liked shopping for clothing. She was immediately drawn to a black shirt with short sleeves, a low neck-line, and a red bow on the left shoulder. She pulled it off the rack, and was just looking at some cute jeans, when Larxene shoved a skirt in her face.

"Try this one; it'll look adorable on you!" The skirt was short, ruffled, and red and black plaid. Xembré grimaced at it. She hated short skirts.

"Fine," She said grudgingly. "I'll _try_ it." She reluctantly took the skirt and followed Larxene to the dressing room. Axel waited outside, looking bored.

When Xembré pulled the shirt on over her head, she knew it was perfect. It was comfortable, it fit, and it was really cute. Then she grudgingly pulled on the skirt. It _was _cute, she had to admit, but she felt like if she made the slightest move, bad things would happen. She heard Larxene call her name, and, sighing, she opened the door and went to let Axel and Larxene see.

"Wow…" Axel said, his eyes wide. "You look great! I think you should buy it!" Larxene nodded her agreement, and then went off to change back. She looked surprisingly pretty in a black halter-top and jeans.

"You really think so?" Xembré smiled shyly at Axel, who grinned.

"Yeah, it'll be a great way to attract someone's attention." He winked, and Xembré felt heat rising in her cheeks. But right then she decided that she was going to buy the outfit. She would wear it if it killed her.

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Later on, Xembré sat in Larxene's room, waiting impatiently while she tried to style her hair. Her hair had grown, and was now about shoulder-blade length. Finally, Larxene decided that just down and curled would suffice. When Larxene was done with her, Xembre's hair fell in soft curls around her face, she wore mascara (The only make-up she would let near her), and was wearing her new outfit. Larxene was already ready.

Almost as soon as Larxene finished, a knock came at the door. Larxene opened it, and there stood Axel and Demyx, looking resplendent in tuxedoes. Xembré smiled shyly, and Demyx returned her smile with his own.

"We're here to escort two beautiful Nobodies to a party." Axel said, grinning. Larxene smiled at him, and stepped out into the hall. Axel offered her his arm, and she took it, letting him guide her down the hall.

Xembré looked to Demyx, who flushed as he offered her his arm. Not looking at each other, they started down the hall to the large dining room where the party was to be held.

After a few minutes, Demyx cleared his throat. "You, uh… You look really pretty." He said, glancing sideways at her.

Xembré was surprised by the hesitant tone he used. Sending a curious, blushing glance at him, she smiled. "Thank you." They stopped outside the dining room, looking at each other. Xembré had to tilt her chin a bit to look into Demyx's face. His eyes were like a piece of the ocean, captured forever in luminous orbs. They stood that way for several minutes, then they both blushed and looked away.

Demyx mumbled what sounded like "Come on, party…" and went through the huge, double doors, not looking at her.

Xembré followed, blushing and confused. Why had she, after so many months, just realized, as she stood gazing at Demyx, how beautiful he was? And why, after all that time, had their friendship become so awkward? Never once had she noticed how cute Demyx was, how beautiful his eyes were, how lucky she was to have him as a friend. And now, in one instant, she could barely look at him without blushing.

Trying to distract herself, she looked around the room. One long table stood against a far wall, laden with food so people could eat buffet style. Chairs were scattered around the room in little groups. Mistletoe was hung in several places, including right inside the door and above the table.

All the other members of the Organization were there already. Axel was talking to Xigbar and Xaldin. Larxene was standing at his shoulder. Luxord was sitting slouched in one of the chairs, idly fiddling with his favorite deck of cards. Saix, Xemnas and Lexaeus were all sitting quietly, looking as though they would rather be anywhere than at the party. Standing off in a corner by himself was Zexion. Xembré quickly averted her eyes from Number Six, and wandered toward Vexen and Marluxia.

"Hey," She said, waving shyly at them. She still felt uncomfortable about the skirt, especially since she could've sworn Zexion was staring at her.

Marluxia smiled at her. Xembré had noticed that the Graceful Assassin had been careful to do nothing that might scare her off. IT was difficult rebuilding a friendship after something like what had happened with them.

"You look very nice," Vexen commented, smiling wryly at her. Xembré flushed. For someone so much older than her, he knew just what to say to calm her nerves.

"Thank you," She replied, flashing him a smile.

Just then, Demyx popped up at her elbow. Her grinned at Vexen and Marluxia, and then turned to Xembré. "Aren't you hungry?" HE asked, smiling. Xembré flushed when she met his eyes. He was so cute and his eyes sparkled merrily. "There's gingerbread cookies! But first you've gotta try my lumpia!" He took her hand and dragged her toward the table. Xembré could feel herself blushing furiously, but she could not understand why.

When they reached the table, they passed Axel and Larxene next to the punch bowl. "Hey Axel, look up!" Demyx cried, pointing toward the ceiling. Almost everyone followed Demyx's finger to see that Axel and Larxene were standing under a bunch of mistletoe.

Axel flushed so hard his face was the same shade as his hair. He looked at Larxene, who was smiling. Watched by the whole room, Axel stepped closer to Larxene and leaned down to kiss her. Xembré met Demyx's eye and smiled. Maybe Axel and Larxene would finally get together.

After that incident, Xembré made a mental note to avoid the punch bowl at all costs. It was too risky being caught underneath it. Especially if she got caught under it with Demyx. She would die if that happened.

She started when a hand landed on her shoulder, looking up and to her right. Marluxia was looking down at her, his hand resting on her shoulder lightly. "What are you thinking?" He asked. Xembré glanced around to see that Axel and Demyx were eating. Axel had one arm around Larxene.

Looking back at Marluxia, Xembré met his aquamarine eyes. He seemed to sincerely be asking her thoughts. She turned her eyes once again to Demyx. He smiled, and Xembré blushed, turning back to Number Eleven.

"It's nothing important." She said, smiling. "I'll tell you later." Marluxia nodded once, squeezed her shoulder, and went off to join Vexen, snatching a cookie as he went. Xembré was not really hungry, but she took a few cookies and went to sit with Axel, Larxene and Demyx. She sat beside Demyx, watching as Axel and Larxene flirted shamelessly.

She leaned closer to Demyx to whisper to him. "Are they together yet?" she asked. Demyx would know who she meant.

The blonde shook his head, staring down at the floor. "Nah, but he's going to ask her tonight."

They sat in silence for a while, until Axel finally started up a conversation. Then they all talked for a long time. Xembré had never really spent much time with Larxene. They had drastically different personalities and interests. But she found that she enjoyed the other girl's company, to a certain extent.

At one point, during a lull in the conversation, Xembré stood to get some punch. Demyx followed, but he was only getting more cookies. Xembré paused at the punch bowl, thinking. She was so confused, but she didn't know why. It was so hard for her to talk normally to Demyx, especially since she kept admiring the curve of his lips, the color of his eyes, and his voice.

As she stood there holding her cup and thinking, Axel and Demyx were having a silent scuffle. Axel was pushing Demyx toward Xembré, encouraging him. But Demyx looked horrified! He struggled up until he was right beside Xembré, then he stood as though frozen. Axel backed off, giving the blonde a thumbs up when he looked pleadingly at him. Seeing that he was caught, Demyx took a deep, steadying breath, and tapped Xembré on the shoulder.

Xembré turned at the touch, snapped back from her thoughts. Her stay in reality was a short one, for as she turned, she felt a pair of lips pressed against her own in a quick, simple kiss. The kiss lasted about three seconds, and then Demyx pulled back. All he did, as Xembré gazed at him, was glance upward, and walk away. Following his eyes, Xembré saw the bunch of mistletoe and remembered, too late, her mental note: _Stay away from the punch bowl._

Unfortunately, almost the whole Organization had witnessed the most embarrassing moment of Xembre's non-existance. She stood rooted to the spot, completely dazed, until someone called her name. Giving herself a shake, she looked around to see Vexen waving her over. Glad of a reason not to rejoin her friends, she started toward the older blonde.

She sat beside Marluxia, and found herself trembling uncontrollably. Her hands twisted in her lap, and her face burned with embarrassment. She felt Marluxia's hand on her arm, and looked up to meet his understanding gaze.

"You want to talk about it?" He asked gently.

Xembré shook her head. She didn't think she would ever be able to put into words what was whirling blurrily through her mind. In fact, she didn't think she would ever speak again. She sat in silence as Vexen and Marluxia spoke together. They were joined briefly by Xigbar, but he didn't tarry. It struck Xembré then how distant the whole organization was.

Soon Xembré was drowsing, her elbow propped on the table and her chin resting in her hand. The drone of voices al around her was pleasant, as was the warm tea she had just been handed by Vexen. She came awake when a hand rested on her shoulder. Looking up, she looked into Axel's emerald eyes. He seemed amused.

"I've got a surprise for you!" He said, his eyes twinkling.

Xembré blinked at him, still drowsy. "Eh..? Oh, okay…" She mumbled, standing up. She followed Axel across the room to a secluded corner where he bade her stop about three feet from where Zexion stood. Xembré ignored The Cloaked Schemer, and stood waiting for the surprise Axel had for her.

The surprise really was a surprise. She had just been drowsing again when she felt Zexion getting nearer her, and then heard her name. "Xembré, look up!" Following the simple instruction, Xembré lifted her eyes to the ceiling to see a bunch of mistletoe hanging right above her. She stifled a frustrated groan as she looked back down and saw Zexion standing six inches away from her. They stared at each other, Zexion advancing by centimeters, and Xembré feeling the familiar heat in her cheeks. Then, someone yelled 'Kiss her already!' and Xembré snapped out of it.

Frowning, she stepped back from Zexion. "I wouldn't kiss you if you were the last Nobody in the World That Never Was!" And with that she stormed out of the room. She was dimly aware of at least three people trying to stop her, and someone shouting 'Oh, burned!' But she continued on her way, and once she was out in the hall, she opened a portal to her room.

She didn't care if the whole Organization knew she hated Zexion. They all knew any way. All she cared about was murdering the treacherous snake who had tried to get her and Zexion together!

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_Ahaha! I found that funny… I'm sorry, I just did… Anyways… That was chapter Fourteen. I tried my hardest to get it up sooner, but I didn't… As you can see. I actually finished it several weeks ago. But I had to force myself to type it up. I hate typing, especially when I've already written the whole chapter down. –sigh- Anyways, here it is. Thanks for reading, and don't forget to review! I'll get chapter Fifteen up as soon as possible!_


	15. Fixing the problem

Alone Forever

Chapter Fifteen

_Well, here's chapter Fifteen. I was looking forward to it, until I reached it. –sigh- I had so much trouble writing this chapter, it's not even funny. I'm really not pleased with it… Anyways, hope you like it._

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Xembré woke the next morning with a feeling of deep resentment weighing on her non-existent heart. If she ever found out who was responsible for the previous night's horrors, they would not live to brag about it. Now that she thought about it, it probably all boiled down to Demyx and Axel. They'd probably had help, but they were most likely the ones responsible.

She got up slowly, feeling abnormally sluggish. She blamed in on her dread of facing the Organization. Eventually she made herself leave her room. The halls were surprisingly empty. It was customary to meet at least two members in the halls, but Xembré met no one until she was nearing the kitchen. Then she met Xaldin, Xigbar and Saix. Each of them nodded and said 'Thirteen' in an offhand manner.

Upon entering the kitchen, Xembré saw that most of the Organization was there. She glanced around the room to locate Marluxia and Vexen, who were deep in conversation with Demyx, Axel, and Larxene. Luxord was sitting at the table with Lexaeus, and Zexion was leaning against the counter, his arms crossed. Xembré frowned lightly, and started toward the toaster, where she planned on making some toast. Before she could reach her destination, however, Zexion threw out an arm to stop her.

"You know, Number Thirteen, I'm deeply offended." The taciturn teen said, gazing down at her from behind his hair.

Xembré was seething on the inside, but kept her tone as nonchalant as possible. "Why is that, Number Six?"

Zexion replied in a tone that said he was enjoying himself. "Last night you denied me a kiss. Why now, after so long?" He smirked, and Xembré lost control.

Never, all of Organization history had any one ever seen a Nobody lose it like that. Xembre's eyes flashed, and she back-handed Zexion hard across the face. Number Six staggered under the blow, brining a hand up to his face. Before he could recover, Xembré had slapped him again. And then she began shouting at him.

"What in the world makes you think I would want to kiss you?!" She cried, her voice rising passionately. Zexion opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, Xembré cut him off. "You're a jerk, you're conceited! Well, I've had enough!" She slashed the air with her open hand in an angry gesture, and then a burst of blinding blue light filled the kitchen.

When the light died, there stood Xembré, katana in hand and sparks almost literally snapping in her eyes. Those startlingly blue eyes, normally gentle, were filled with such anger that Zexion almost faltered.

"Leave me alone, Zexion." Xembré hissed.

Zexion met her angry gaze, and something in his face changed. With a sudden burst of shadow, The Cloaked Schemer summoned an ivory handled knife, the very same one he had threatened Axel with months before. "As you wish…" He whispered.

Just as Zexion leaped at Xembré, two of their fellow members leapt into action. Demyx rushed toward Xembré, while Axel ran toward Zexion. Almost instantaneously, and before the other two could comprehend what was going on, Demyx had grabbed Xembré and Axel had grabbed Zexion's arms from behind. Then, everything crashed to a confused halt.

Carried on by his momentum, Demyx fell to the floor, pulling Xembré with him. They landed heavily, and Demyx's breath was knocked out. Xembré let out a small cry as she hit the floor, but she was more interested in the boy whose arms were currently around her. Blushing furiously, and extremely confused, she struggled up from the ground to stare at Zexion, who was still held from behind by Axel.

She stood trembling violently, taking no notice when Demyx put a precautionary hand on her arm. Her katana dropped from nerveless fingers, and the clatter was the only sound to be heard in the kitchen. Had she been able to, Xembré would have burst into tears. She stood staring in wide-eyed horror at Zexion, who stared right back.

The realization of what she had nearly done hit Xembré like a baseball bat. She raised a hand to her mouth, as though that might stop the flood of words that wanted to tumble from her mouth. But she needn't have bothered. She didn't feel capable of speaking at the moment.

"I think that's enough." Marluxia broke the silence, bringing the attention of everyone onto himself. He strode forward, and stood between Xembré and Zexion. He turned to Xembré, and said calmly, "Xembré, go sit down." Then he turned to Zexion.

Xembré tried to obey, but she didn't think her legs would hold her. She felt Demyx's arm around her shoulders, and shuddered, but let him guide her to a chair. She was scared. There was no other word to describe what she was. She had let her anger get control of her for the first time she could ever remember, and it was frightening. She looked up at Demyx, and he looked away, his blue eyes half-lidded. He seemed just as scared as she was.

Feeling lost as confused, Xembré sat shivering in her seat, staring at the table. She was dimly aware of Zexion shouting something, and then storming out of the kitchen, but she was focusing mainly on the hand resting on her forearm. She felt Axel sit down beside her, but didn't look up at him. She was afraid of seeing her fear reflected in his emerald eyes.

Murmurs broke out among the onlookers as Marluxia and Vexen settled themselves at the table across from Xembré. She glanced up to see Marluxia watching her, his elbows propped on the table, and a thoughtful expression on his face. Immediately dropping her gaze again, Xembré contemplated the suddenness of her anger. Before she could get farther than '_Zexion's a jerk_' everyone in the room went quiet, and she felt Demyx stiffen beside her.

Looking up, Xembré saw that Xemnas had entered the kitchen unnoticed. He was standing in the doorway, sweeping the whole room with his yellow gaze. His intimidating presence had everyone apprehensive. His gaze rested on Xembré for a moment, and she looked away, flinching as he spoke.

"Eight, Nine, I need to speak with you."

Axel and Demyx exchanged glances. Demyx looked terrified. He squeezed Xembre's hand and then stood to follow Axel and Xemnas out of the room. Xembré stayed where she was, staring hard at the table-top. What could Xemnas possibly want with Axel and Demyx? She and Zexion had been causing trouble. The only thing she could think of was a mission, and she didn't want Axel and Demyx sent on some dangerous mission; not now that she was so scared and confused.

For a moment there was silence in the kitchen, and then murmurs broke out again. It seemed everyone was gossiping about that had just happened. No doubt Saix and the others who had missed the scene would know about it soon enough. Information traveled quickly around the castle.

Xembré stood after a while and, no longer hungry, wended her way toward her room. She was in no mood to socialize with the other members. She could feel them watching her apprehensively as she left the kitchen. They waited long enough for her to have stepped foot out of the kitchen, then they started whispering. Xembré sighed. She was just as scared of her own anger as they were.

Someone followed Xembré out of the kitchen. Turning around to see who it was, Xembré saw Marluxia. The Graceful Assassin watched her apprehensively for a moment, as though unsure if she would want him around. When she did nothing, he advanced, and fell into step beside her. They walked in silence, Xembré staring at her feet, and Marluxia casting covert glances at her. Eventually, he spoke.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked softly.

Xembré knew what he was talking about. She considered for a moment. Marluxia would not have been her first choice of someone to go to for advice, but he seemed genuinely concerned. This was not the first time he had asked her thoughts, either. Did she want to trust him with her new darkest secret? She felt his hand on her shoulder, and looked up at him, and, meeting his grayish-blue gaze, felt that she could trust him.

"I'm scared, Marluxia…" She said softly. Marluxia tilted his head to one side, almost as though he hadn't heard her. But she went on. "I've never been so angry in all my life… I… I think I would have hurt Zexion if Demyx hadn't stopped me…" She hugged herself, looking away from the older man.

The pink-haired male heaved an over-dramatic sigh. "Alas, anger is one of the emotions hardest to suppress." He said, shaking his head sadly. "Even in this state of non-being we have difficulty in controlling it."

Xembré could not suppress a giggle. Marluxia's over dramatizing was so funny and carefree, she couldn't help it. But she soon turned serious, and spoke again, voicing a thought she would not have dared to tell Axel or Demyx. "I don't think I'm ever going to let myself get that angry again… It's too... well… scary…" She looked away, slightly ashamed of her own anger.

"What's that look on your face?" Marluxia asked, his voice soft. "Anger is nothing to be ashamed of. Some of us embrace anger, and find it gives us strength..." His voice was low, and Xembré almost smiled, though she wasn't sure why. "Number Six treated you very badly. You have every right to be angry with him."

Xembré considered for a moment. What Marluxia said made sense. She had never thought of anger as a source of strength. Yet when she had been angry with Zexion, she had felt capable of beating him, maybe even of hurting him. That thought was frightening.

"Well, I think I'm going to go draw." She said, giving Marluxia the biggest smile she could muster. He nodded, and watched as she dashed away toward her room. Shaking his head and smiling, the pink-haired man started back to the kitchen.

In her room, she went to her desk, where she kept her sketch book whenever she did not have it with her. But it was not there. Xembré didn't quite comprehend it at first. Why, on top of everything else, did her sketch book have to go missing? She began running frantically around her room, looking in random places for her book: under the bed, in her closet, even in her bathroom. It was no where to be found.

Sitting despondently on her bed, she contemplated the situation. Her sketch book was missing… She wanted to draw… If she didn't draw, it felt like she was going to explode. She sighed heavily, and threw herself backwards on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, where her favorite drawings of Axel and Demyx resided. The strange 'feelings' she had finally noticed the night before permeated her numb mind again as she gazed at the picture of Demyx. He had been an undeniable source of comfort that night, and many other times besides. But had she ever thanked him for it?

A sudden sense of guilt rushed upon her, and she sat straight up, intending to go find Demyx and tell him just how much his friendship meant to her. Before she had gotten any farther than standing, a knock came on her door. Surprised, she opened it and found herself face-to-face with a certain blonde.

Demyx seemed to be caught by surprise by Xembré's almost instant appearance. He looked up at her, his ocean blue eyes shining, and grinned. Xembré felt herself blush as she realized yet again how cute Demyx really was.

"Hey, Xembré!" The blonde said cheerfully. "I've got a surprise for you!"

Xembré was immediately on her guard. "I don't like surprises…" She said slowly, remembering the 'surprise' she'd gotten the night before.

Demyx stuck out his bottom lip. "Come on, Xembré! Trust me! This won't be anything like the one you got last night."

He seemed to emanate innocence, and Xembré could not help trusting him. She hesitated for another minute, gnawing her lip, and then nodded. Demyx's grin widened, if that was possible, and he grabbed her hand, pulling her out into the closet. She barely had time to close her door after her, for Demyx was pulling her down the hall at a break-neck pace, giving her no time to ask questions.

He led her to an empty chamber, and dropped her hand, suddenly serious. "Wait here," He said, and then he was gone. Blinking, Xembré leaned against a wall to wait, wondering what her surprise could possibly be.

In just a few moments the door opened again. Demyx entered, followed by Zexion. Xembré frowned. "What's going on?" She asked, suddenly suspicious again.

Demyx winced as though she had struck him. "Just trust me, Xembré." He implored her, gazing at her with his eyes wide and full of injured innocence. Xembré said nothing, but watched as Zexion went to stand next to her. She frowned at him, but he didn't seem unduly concerned. In fact, he wasn't even looking at her. "Close your eyes," Demyx said. Xembré looked to Zexion, and saw that he closed his eyes almost at once. Reassured, she closed hers as well.

"Now, Xembré hold out your left hand. Zexion, hold out your right." Xembré did as she was told, assuming that Zexion would as well. She felt Demyx draw near, and heard a soft click. Zexion let out a sort of muffled gasp, but then all was quiet again. Xembré wanted so badly to open her eyes, she nearly did, but then Demyx's hand was gently covering her eyes. "No peaking," He said softly. She felt his other hand brush against hers, and then something cold touched her wrist. There was another click, and then Demyx pulled away.

"What?!" Xembré opened her eyes, finding that she was hand-cuffed to Zexion. She tugged, even though she knew it would do no good. Zexion was staring at the cuffs, a slightly bemused look on his face, but Xembré was glaring at Demyx.

"I'm sorry, Xembré!" Demyx wailed. He sent one, pleading glance at Xembré before fleeing.

Xembré pulled again on the chain, knowing it would do no good. She refused to look at Zexion. He seemed far too comfortable with the sudden twist. Probably he'd had a hand in the 'surprise'. Cursing any and all kinds of surprises, Xembré pulled harder on the chain.

"Would you stop?" Zexion snapped, and Xembré looked up at him. He was frowning. "It's obviously doing no good, and it hurts." Xembré was shocked by that statement. She had never heard Zexion admit that anything could hurt him. She stared at him incredulously, until he glanced at her. "What?"

Xembré shook her head. "Nothing." She said shortly, and turned away from Zexion. Or, she would have, if she hadn't been stopped by the hand-cuffs. At that moment she despised everyone, including Demyx and Axel, but mostly Zexion. He was so calm in that situation, it was infuriating.

The dark-haired teen shrugged his thin shoulders, and moved away toward one of the walls, dragging Xembré behind him. "At least I brought a book," He said calmly, and Xembré saw that he was holding a book, one of her favorites. The Cloaked Schemer sat down calmly, successfully pulling Xembré to the ground with him. She struggled, but to no avail, for the chain was too short to let her stand. Sinking cross-legged to the floor beside Zexion, Xembré pulled a face, and rested her chin in her hand, watching, almost unwillingly, as Zexion read.

Her mind racing, Xembré was trying to decide what was worse, sitting alone in a room with Zexion, hand-cuffed together by her traitorous best friend, or walking through the halls, hand-cuffed together, and being laughed at. Being laughed at was much better than sitting alone with Zexion, letting her anger simmer, for, if she let it simmer long enough, one small action from Zexion might very well set it boiling. The way Zexion simply sat there reading, idly turning a page every few minutes was enough to drive Xembré to stand up. She pulled on the hand-cuffs, drawing Zexion's attention away from the book. He fixed her with a blank stare, and she returned it with a frown.

"Come on, I'm not staying here." She pulled again, and Zexion stood with a resigned look on his face. Then, she started out the door, still pulling Zexion behind her.

The Cloaked Schemer followed her without complaint. After all, he didn't really mind that he was handcuffed to her. In fact, he had known all along what Demyx had in mind. It wasn't even really Demyx's plan. It was thanks to Xemnas that he was stuck with Xembré for who knew how long. Zexion almost smirked as he watched Xembré's face. She was frowning, and trying her best not to look at him.

Zexion strode along silently beside Xembré, blinking whenever she pulled on the chain, for it did hurt, a little. What really bothered him was that it had taken something like being handcuffed together to get Xembré to talk civilly to him for the first time in weeks. Yes, that was what bothered The Cloaked Schemer most of all…

"What are you staring at?" Xembré asked suspiciously. She had caught Zexion with his eyes on her, and the teen glanced away.

"Nothing." Zexion murmured. It would do no good to let Xembré know of his resentment. "I was only admiring your anger." That was the way to get on Xembré's nerves: Admire anything about her. At least, for Zexion it was. Zexion resented that very much.

Just as Zexion had expected, Xembré flushed and glanced angrily away. Zexion smiled to himself, but his smile was quickly wiped off his face when a sudden tightening of the chain nearly threw him off his feet. The Cloaked Schemer stumbled back a step, feeling Xembré doing the same, and looked up into Saix's face. The blue-haired Nobody was glaring as emotionlessly down at them as was usual, but this time Zexion thought he could sense amusement in the man's demeanor.

"May I ask what's going on?" Number Six asked, in his normal uncaring tone. He seemed not to care that the two younger Nobodies had just run into him, thanks to the handcuffs.

Xembré lowered her eyes, and turned her head away from Saix, obviously mortified. Zexion hated to see her look so depressed, so he answered the question. "Number Nine thought this was a good idea for a prank." He said calmly.

Saix snorted, and paced off again, leaving Zexion to gaze after him, and Xembré to pull on the chain, dragging Zexion after her. Zexion nearly lost his balance as Xembré pulled him down the hall, but he avoided falling, though narrowly. "Where are we going?" He asked, though he didn't really care.

"To find Demyx." Xembré answered him.

Finding Demyx was easier said than done.


	16. Fixing the Problem: Part Two

Alone Forever

Chapter Sixteen

_Yeah, here's chapter Sixteen. Hope you like it!_

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Finding Demyx was _much_ easier said than done. Xembré and Zexion wandered despondently around the castle searching for the elusive blonde, but to no avail. No matter where they looked, they could not find Demyx. They looked in the blonde's room, but he wasn't there. They searched the kitchen, the dining room, the meeting room, Axel's room, and asked any member they met along the way if they had seen Demyx. No one seemed to have seen him.

Zexion was tired of being dragged endlessly through the castle, being laughed at by the other members. On one occasion they had met Axel, who had broken into a violent fit of coughing upon seeing them. He had then rushed down a long hallway toward his room, no doubt to laugh in peace.

Contrary to what he was thinking, Zexion kept a bored expression on his face. He could tell that Xembré was just as irritated as he was; she didn't hide it very well at all. She had a pronounced frown on her face, and her shoulders were hunched. It was almost enough to make Zexion smile. Almost…

"You know," Zexion commented, breaking the silence that had not been broken for at least half an hour. "It's almost time for dinner… We should probably head to the dining room." His suggestion was met with a sullen shrug from Xembré, and together they turned toward the dining room.

Zexion felt Xembré falter as they neared the big, double doors. She obviously did not want to face the entire Organization. He felt much the same, but what was worrying him the most was the fact that either he would have to sit down at the end of the table with Xembré, or she would have to sit in the middle of the table, with him. Either way, one of them would have to compromise their place at the table. But, on the plus side, Demyx was bound to be at dinner.

Together the two Nobodies entered the kitchen, to a general round of snickers. Only three members were not laughing, besides Zexion and Xembré: Vexen, Demyx, and Xemnas. Xembré was a bit disappointed to see a smirk residing on Marluxia's features; she had hoped at least he would not find her predicament funny.

As Zexion started to his usual seat beside numbers Five and Seven, Xembré blushed hard. Someone was going to have to move down a seat, and that someone was Axel. Normally Zexion would have been sitting beside The Flurry of Dancing Flame, but now, Axel as in Xembré's seat, and Xembré was sitting between Zexion and Luxord. The two teens took their seats silently, amid another round of snickering.

Flushed with embarrassment, Xembré stared fixedly at her plate, until she happened to glance up and realized she was right across from Demyx. The blonde was talking animatedly to Marluxia, who was replying to his chatter with curt replies ever few minutes. Xembré breathed a sigh of relief, which was, of course, noted by Zexion.

"Something bothering you?" He asked, gazing blankly at Xembré from behind his bangs.

The girl shook her head, frowning. "No." She said shortly.

Zexion smiled lightly. "Good for you, because something's bothering me."

Unknowingly, Xembré took the bate. "And what would that be?"

Zexion winked. "It's going to be difficult to eat with my left hand." He said, and Xembré was surprised to hear the hint of a joke in his words. She was not used to Zexion saying anything that was not completely serious. Confused, and a bit unnerved, Xembré glanced once at Zexion. He had a soft smile on his face, so small it was almost imperceptible. That too was unsettling.

As soon as Xemnas gave the word, the thirteen Nobodies began the meal. It took a while for Xembré to get used to not having the use of her left arm. At times she would forget about the handcuffs, and reach for something, only to be dragged back by Zexion. And several times, their hands connected for a split second, only to be withdrawn in an instant. At those times, Xembré turned to talk to Luxord, trying to pretend it had never happened.

Thankfully, the meal ended without too much trouble, and no disasters. Now Xembré was intent on one thing: Getting to Demyx before he escaped. The blonde seemed to sense her intentions, for he slipped away before Xembré could even persuade Zexion to stand up. By the time Xembré had gotten Zexion to his feet and looked around, Demyx was gone.

"Jerk," She shot at Zexion before stomping away, dragging the dark-haired teen behind her. It felt like everyone was against her. Zexion had let Demyx get away, Demyx had put the handcuffs on in the first place, and even her friends were laughing at her. Wishing bitterly that she had stayed in bed, Xembré pulled Zexion down the halls toward Demyx's room. He just had to be there.

Zexion followed Xembré like a puppy; not that he had any choice. Xembré paid no attention to Zexion, for she was intent on finding Demyx. She stopped in front of his door, and listened. There was someone in there, but she could not tell who. Knocking, she listened to the scurrying of someone trying to get out of sight, and then Demyx calling 'come in!' She entered and glanced around. Demyx was sitting on his bed, looking uncomfortable.

"Demyx, I want you to get these handcuffs off." Xembré said firmly.

The blonde smiled sheepishly. "I can't…" He said, and Xembré felt her nonexistent heart stop. "They'll only come off when you and Zexion make up. I'm sorry..." He added the last two words quietly, and turned his eyes away. Xembré stared at him for a moment, and then turned suddenly around, nearly colliding with Zexion, and marched back out the door. She could hear Zexion stumbling along behind her, but she didn't care. She was stuck with Zexion until they made up… That was not a comforting thought.

By the time Xembré had reached her room, she had calmed some. She was a bit disconcerted by Zexion's obvious unconcern, though. She entered her room slowly, looking around, and wishing she had her sketchbook. Where in the whole World That Never Was could it have gone? She crossed to her bed and sat, paying no attention to Zexion as he followed suit.

"Something bothering you?" He asked gently.

Xembré frowned. "No." She lied. "Come on, let's go to bed." She was not looking forward to it, but the sooner she got to sleep, the sooner she could escape reality for a while. She glared at Zexion, and then stretched out on her bed. "If you touch me at all, you're dead." She said, and she turned on her side, closing her eyes.

Zexion pulled a wry face. "Right…" He muttered, and he lay back on the bed, staring up at the roof. He was not going to sleep well that night.

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Xembré woke slowly the next morning, reluctant to leave her safe haven of dreams. Her dreams were anything but peaceful, but they were at least not reality. Facing reality would take more courage than Xembré felt she had. So, instead of waking, she turned over, only to feel her arm twisted in a weird way. The pain aroused her, and she turned back over, glancing at the handcuffs that had not dematerialized during the night. She was still lying beside Zexion, who was sleeping peacefully on his back. That was the only time he looked innocent, or peaceful: when he was asleep. There was no gleam of plotting or scheming behind his eyes, and no calculating look on his face.

Xembré sighed, and settled onto her back, and stared at the ceiling, at the drawings of Demyx and Axel. She longed to be held in Demyx's arms then. The comfort his embrace offered was something she longed for immensely. Instead, she was stuck beside Zexion until they made up.

"You know, you're stupid sometimes." The voice made her jump, for she had not realized Zexion was awake. She sat up, and stared at the dark-haired Nobody, who was staring calmly up at her. His hair was ruffled from sleep, and he still appeared to be only barely awake. If Xembré hadn't been so mad at him, she would have said he was cute.

"I'm not the stupid one, you jerk." Xembré snapped, turning away from him with a frown on her face. "I'm not the one who pretended to be Demyx." That memory still made her non-existent heart ache. She buried her head in her hands, ignoring the other teen beside her.

"Alright, I admit, that was stupid." Xembré snapped her head around to stare at Zexion. He had turned his head away, and was looking at a point somewhere on the ceiling. "I only did it because I thought you liked Demyx." Xembré could have sworn he was blushing. She stared at Zexion for a moment, and then she frowned.

"That's still a stupid reason." She said, determined to stay angry. Even if Zexion had thought she liked Demyx, all he had to do was ask her out first, and things wouldn't have turned in such a wrong direction. "You stole my first kiss." She blushed as she said the words, and turned away, glaring at her bed. The blanket was crumpled up underneath her. The sheets looked like they needed to be washed, and it had been a while since she'd last washed them, she realized.

"Would it help if I said sorry?" Zexion crawled toward her, but Xembré would not look at him.

"No." She said shortly, and she slipped off the bed, moving away from Zexion as far as she could, with the handcuffs. She was letting herself slip, and was letting Zexion get to her. The tone he had used made her want to forgive him. She could feel Zexion sliding off the bed to the floor, but she ignored him.

"Are you sure..?" He asked, and he tugged lightly on the chain. "We won't be free until we make up.." He neared her even more, and touched her shoulder, but Xembré pulled away.

"Yes, I'm sure! You stole my first kiss!" She couldn't get over that fact, because she had wanted her first kiss to be something special! It was stupid, she knew, but still, it was one of her fantasies. Every girl has to have her fantasies. She stood with her back to Zexion, and a frown on her face.

"Is it that big a deal?" Zexion asked.

Xembré turned on him, letting her anger out once again. "Of course it is!" She shouted, and Zexion drew back a step. "You _stole_ my first kiss!" For a moment Xembre's anger was so much that she felt unable to express it with words. She struggled for a moment, nearly choking on the words that wouldn't come, and then she fell silent, glaring at the teen in front of her.

When Zexion said nothing, Xembré glared at him. "And, you broke up my friendship with Marluxia! Probably for the same reason." She said, a bit quieter now.

"Alright, I'll admit it. I was jealous!" Zexion snapped. Xembré, who had been about to say more, came to an abrupt silent. She had never heard Zexion admit anything like that. "I'm sorry I acted the way I did." Zexion went on; sounding angrier than Xembré had ever heard him. "Will you forgive me?"

Xembré frowned at him for a moment, trying to decide if he was being sincere or not. He seemed to be. But she couldn't decide for sure. She watched as he advanced slowly, her eyes narrowed. Just like always, his hair was covering his right eye, but now, the eye Xembré could see was not glittering maliciously, or with hidden intentions. For once Zexion appeared to be completely sincere.

For a moment Zexion kept advancing, but Xembré stepped backward, finding her back against the wall. But, for reasons unknown to her, Zexion stopped advancing, and stood gazing at her. He seemed to be waiting for something, and Xembré realized that she had not answered his question. She considered for a moment, and then nodded slowly.

Then Zexion advanced again. Xembré was so intent on his face and eyes that she hardly noticed the fact that the handcuffs had melted away to nothing. Zexion's arms wrapped around her waist, and he pulled her close, leaning down toward her at the same time. Xembré let her eyes flutter closed, and she sank into a state of shock as Zexion came closer and closer. And then…

"Xembré! Are you in here?!" Xembre's door slammed open, and Xembré opened her eyes to find Zexion gazing away from her at the open door. Following his gaze, Xembré laid eyes on the elusive blonde who had caused all the trouble of the last few days. Demyx was grinning broadly.

"I see you guys have made up." He said brightly. "The Superior sent me to check on you and make sure no one died." He turned suddenly serious, and turned a rueful gaze on Zexion. "Did she try to kill you?"

Zexion shook his head. "Surprisingly, no." He replied calmly. Xembre couldn't help wondering when he and Demyx had gotten onto speaking terms. She felt Zexion's arms loosen around her, and looked back at Zexion. She was so confused again; things had gone so quickly in the last few moments. Zexion turned back to her and planted a quick kiss on her forehead. "I'll see you later," He said, and then he was gone. Just like that.

Xembré stood staring after him for a moment, too surprised and confused to do much. Demyx came to stand beside her, and after a moment Xembré shook her head to clear it. "Life doesn't make any sense…" She said lightly.

"Neither does non-existence." Demyx replied, just as lightly. He smiled at her, and Xembré, feeling surprisingly care-free, took his hand, smiling back at him.

"Let's go get breakfast." She said, and she pulled Demyx out of her room, taking care to close the door behind her. She wasn't sure exactly what was going on, but she was going to find out. Maybe finally things were going to stop being so hectic around the castle. She and Zexion were on speaking terms again, she was relatively sure there would be no more mistletoe in the castle, Marluxia was her friend again, Axel and Larxene were going out, and Xemnas would take no more drastic measures to ensure that she and Zexion didn't kill each other. Yes, things were back to normal…

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_I'm not all that pleased with this chapter… But at least I got it up, right? Honestly, right now Xembré is making me mad. She's so wishy-washy about Zexion. Dx I hate it. I hate her. But, whatever… I hope you liked this chapter! Please review, but not if you're flaming me. Flamers will suffer the wrath of Oathy. Now, since I've been neglecting my duty of replying to reviews, I shall try to answer some of the questions I've been asked…_

RedTailCartoon: So is she ever gonna forgive Zexy. Or does she pair with someone else?

_That question I will choose to leave unanswered. You'll find out soon enough, but if I told you, it would ruin everything. So, for now, just content yourselves with the fact that Xembré will most likely choose… . Someone._

Xed14thKey: How old is Xembré?

_Xembré is sixteen or Seventeen__ I haven't quite decided. xD I know, it sounds stupid, but in this story, Zexion's about seventeen, Axel's eighteen, and Demyx is sixteen. So Xembré is somewhere between the ages of sixteen and seventeen._

Streetglowsix6six: So, uh, if I leave five reviews, then how much more quickly can we have the new chapter?

_Haha, it depends on what your reviews say. I usually go crazy over happy reviews, and just reading over all the reviews I've gotten makes me happy. So, in conclusion: Reviews, especially happy reviews Happy Andruindel who will write faster. So, five reviews would make me write much faster, as long as they made me happy. ._


	17. Movie Day

Alone Forever

Chapter Seventeen

By Andruindel

_Haha, here's chapter Seventeen. This is a bit of a filler chapter. But, you know, it's funny. XD_

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Xembré sat quietly in the library, curled in a comfortable arm-chair, and absorbed in a book she had just discovered. It was something about dragons, and an adventure to save the world. Dragon's fascinated her, as did adventures to save the world, but the main character was annoying. He got on her nerves, more than Demyx on caffeine. The library was quiet, and comfortable. Reading lamps were scattered here and there so you could sit anywhere and read. The chairs were all comfortable, and tucked into cozy corners. Xembré loved the library.

The only other Nobodies who frequented the library were Zexion, Marluxia and Vexen. Occasionally Demyx, Xigbar or Xaldin would visit briefly, but none of them stayed long. Xembré had come to think of the library as her own personal hide-away. None of the other Nobodies bothered her, and it was almost as comfortable as her room. The colors were soft, and mostly shades of blue and purple. Books of all different kinds lined the roof-high shelves. They were organized by genre, and Xembré was always in the fantasy section. Fantasy was her favorite thing to read about. Things like elves, fairies, dragons and adventures in medieval times interested her greatly.

As she sat in the library, several weeks after the whole 'Christmas incident,' she was not alone. Marluxia had joined her shortly after she arrived, but they had not spoken, for Xembré was already absorbed in her book. Now the Graceful Assassin was browsing the shelves filled with books about gardening and different flowers.

For a moment Xembré continued reading in silence, and then she heard the doors open. She didn't pay much attention to that, for she was used to people coming and going. No one bothered her when she was reading. She was vaguely aware of the footsteps nearing her, and then a gloved hand invaded her sight as someone pushed her book down. She noted the page she was on, and then looked up at Zexion, closing the book. Strangely, Zexion was accompanied by Axel and Larxene, neither of whom visited the library.

"Hi, Zexy," Xembré said idly. Her mind was still on the book, but she was vaguely wondering why Axel and Larxene had dared step foot in the library. Neither of them liked reading all that much. She had known Larxene to visit on the rare occasion that her own books wouldn't satisfy her, but Axel, never. The only books he read were cook-books when it was his turn to make dinner. Dinner never really worked when Axel cooked…

Zexion frowned lightly at the nickname, but over-looked it. "We're watching a movie in the lounge. Come watch with us." Over the last week or so, Zexion had made an attempt to be pleasanter, but he still had not mastered his tendency to order things. Xembré didn't mind, as long as she knew he was trying to overcome it.

Xembré stretched, still holding the book. "What movie?" She asked. She glanced over at Axel, who answered.

"We're not sure yet." He replied idly. He was looking around at the books around him, his eyes alert, but his posture relaxed. That was the way he looked a lot of the time. He looked totally relaxed and at ease. But his eyes were constantly flicking around, alert for any sign of movement, and you could see that he was ready for action.

Considering, Xembré looked back at Zexion. He had his arms crossed. As Xembré looked at him, he shook his head, flipping his bangs out of his way, only to have them fall back into place. It was so cute when he did that. Xembré smiled, and reached out to Zexion, silently asking him to help her up. "Alright, a movie sounds good." She said.

Zexion pulled her to her feet, and then into his arms in a loose hug. His smile was barely perceptible, as always, but still there. Together he and Xembré followed Axel and Larxene out of the library. Xembré still had her book, because she was planning on reading it during the discussion that was soon to come. If she knew Axel, he would choose a scary movie. But at the same time, Zexion would choose a suspense movie, while Larxene would choose romance, and Demyx would choose comedy. A long discussion would follow, until finally they worked out a compromise. Xembré never took part in that discussion. She always just waited for the others to choose a movie.

Demyx was already in the lounge, sitting amid a pile of DVD's as he looked through the movies. He looked up as the four other Nobodies entered, and a smile lit up his features. "Oh good, Xembré came." He said. "You guys choose a movie; I'll go make the popcorn!" He got up, and carefully picked his way out of the mess of DVD's toward the door. He sent a fleeting glance at Xembré as he passed, and smiled. Xembré returned it.

As the others looked through the DVD's lying around on the ground, Xembré found a seat on the couch in front of the Plasma screen Television. The lounge was the place where the Nobodies in the Organization could relax in front of the TV, play video games, or, on the rare occasion, play board games at the large table across the room. A cabinet near the table held so many games it was almost bursting. The Organization hardly ever all gathered in the lounge, because they simply did not get along well enough to have a full-blown game night. Xembré wanted to see that happen, actually. A game of go fish with Luxord, maybe some LIFE with Demyx and Axel. That fantasy floated around in her mind as she listened to numbers Six, Eight and Twelve arguing over which movie to watch.

Eventually Demyx turned up with a huge bowl of popcorn. He set it on the coffee table under Xembré's watch, and joined the others in their discussion of movies. Xembré snatched a handful of popcorn and returned to her book, flipping idly through the pages until she found her page. She positioned herself comfortably in the corner of the couch, and began reading, eating her popcorn one kernel at a time, still listening to the discussion. Axel wanted to watch _28 Days Later_, while Larxene wanted to watch some x-rated movie that Axel said would give Demyx nightmares. Demyx protested loudly at that, but both Zexion and Axel would not allow the blonde to see it until 'he was at least nineteen'. Xembré laughed at that, for Axel wasn't even nineteen yet.

Of course, the Nobodies did not really age. At least, Xembré didn't think they did. Her seventeenth birthday had been not so long ago, and she had completely over-looked it. Maybe the only difference with Nobodies was that they didn't keep track. Whatever the reason, Axel remained firm in his decision that Demyx should not see the movie until he was older. So Demyx, pouting, agreed that they would watch it some other time.

By the time everyone had worked out a compromise, Xembré had read another twenty pages of her book. Axel volunteered to put the movie in, and the other Nobodies joined Xembré on the couch. Zexion sat beside her, after she had moved her feet out of the way, and then her legs were resting in his lap. It was a comfortable position.

The movie chosen by her three friends was something of a mix between comedy, romance, suspense and violence: _The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring._ Xembré had read the book before, and since it was fantasy as well, she enjoyed the movie. It was a good choice. Xembré set her book down, after marking her page mentally, and focused on the movie as Axel pressed play.

It was quiet as the movie played. Demyx held the popcorn bowl, almost unwilling to share. Only when Axel threatened to burn his hair off did he relinquish the bowl into Axel's arms. Axel as more willing to share, but he kept the bowl in his lap, to the obvious displeasure of Larxene. It was obvious the female blonde wanted to occupy the pyro's lap at the moment. Xembré was content to stay where she was, with Zexion rubbing idle circles on her thigh.

Absorbed in the plot of the movie, Xembré almost didn't notice Zexion's eyes on her. She was busy watching the hot actor Orlando Bloom say his mini dialogue in the scene of Elrond's council. Xembré had read the books so many times; she knew what was going to happen before it happened. But Orlando Bloom made it all worth while. But soon she felt Zexion's gaze on her, and turned to look at him. He smiled, and turned back to the movie. Xembré shifted her position so her legs were curled underneath her, and she was leaning against Zexion, still watching the movie.

By the time the movie was half-way over, Axel had Larxene in his lap, and Demyx was holding the popcorn again. Xembré glanced once at her companions, to find that Larxene was hardly watching the movie, and seemed more interested in trailing kissed down Axel's neck. The red-head appeared to be ticklish, for he chuckled, and moved away from the kisses, only to have Larxene kiss his cheek. Xembré laughed silently to herself, and looked back at the movie.

When the movie ended, Xembré would have been in tears, if that was possible, for one of her favorite characters had died. His death never failed to get to her. During the movie, Xembré had heard Demyx laugh a few times, and Axel calling advice to the characters during the fights. Larxene had giggled when Orlando did something especially cute, but Zexion had remained quiet all through the movie. He had only played idly with Xembré's hair, his eyes focused on the screen.

"Well, that was cool…" Demyx said as the credits scrolled by, and Axel got up to take the movie out of the DVD player. The popcorn was gone, and the bowl lying abandoned on the floor by Demyx's feet.

"Yeah, it was." Xembré agreed with her blonde friend.

"Let's watch another one!" Axel cried.

Xembré glanced at Zexion, who shrugged noncommittally. And Xembré spoke for both of them. "Okay, but first, I need to go do something." The others all agreed that they needed a break, and that they would be back in ten minutes. Xembré stood and portaled to the kitchen, where she looked through the fridge for a soda. They had Dr. Pepper, as well as a few beers, but Xembré over-looked those completely. Luxord would hate her if she drank his beer, plus, she didn't want beer. A drunken Xembré would prove dangerous. Selecting a Dr. Pepper, Xembré then set about making more popcorn.

Demyx joined her shortly after that, and took over the popcorn making duties. "So, you and Zexy seem to be happy…" Demyx said lightly, though he didn't look at Xembré. "Has he asked you out yet?"

Xembré blushed. "No." She said shortly. "We're just friends." She didn't believe it, but she wouldn't let Demyx know that.

Demyx grinned at her. "Alright, whatever you say." He said.

Xembré wrinkled her nose, and hit Demyx playfully. "Oh, shut up." She said, as Demyx yelped. "I didn't hit you that hard." She laughed, and then started for the door. "I'm gonna head back, see you in a minute." She said, and Demyx waved.

Portalling outside the lounge, Xembré glanced around before starting for the door. Zexion wasn't coming, so either he was inside, or just not there yet. Xembré opened the door, and froze. Axel and Larxene were on the couch, making out. Xembré made to back out of the room, but before she could the two Nobody's disappeared into a portal of darkness, no doubt to Axel's room. Xembré stepped backward and collided with something solid, which turned out to be Zexion. She turned to face him, and buried her face in his chest, trying to squash the mental image floating in her mind.

"Ow…" She moaned. "My brain hurts."

Zexion smirked. "Having bad thoughts about _us_?" He asked, putting extra emphasis on the word 'us'. He wrapped his arms around her, letting his hands rest in the small of her back as he pulled her close.

Xembré blushed hard, and looked up at Zexion. There was scarcely two inches separating them. "Don't you think your hands are a little—"

Zexion cut her off by lowering his hands onto her backside, and with a little squeeze, pulling her close, successfully closing the distance between them. "High…?" He asked, finishing her sentence in a way she had not intended.

Xembré gasped, and pushed against him as she gazed reproachfully up at him. "I was going to say low!" She chided him, but she did not pull away. Her blush deepened as Zexion grinned at her. He did not grin often, and she found the effect startling.

Zexion opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a shout that reverberated through the halls: "STOP SEXUALLY HARRASSING MY FRIEND!"

Demyx hurtled out of no where, scattering popcorn everywhere as he went, and tackled Zexion to the ground, where he proceeded to punch every inch of him that he could reach. Xembré let out a cry of shock, and stood staring blankly as her blonde friend pummeled Zexion. Then the situation processed completely in her mind, and she leapt forward. "Demyx, stop!" She cried, and she grabbed Demyx by the arms, pulling him upward and away from Zexion.

Zexion propped himself up on his elbows after cautiously looking around to assure himself that he was safe. "I was under the impression that it only counts as sexual harassment if it is unwilling on either part." He said, his tone holding annoyance.

Demyx looked alarmed, and then sheepish. "Sorry," He said, more to Xembré than to Zexion. He looked devastated for some reason.

Xembré helped Zexion to his feet, and then said, without looking at Demyx, "Could you give me a minute?" Zexion gazed at her, and then nodded before portalling away. Then Xembré turned to Demyx, who flushed deeply.

"Are you alright, Demyx?" Xembré asked seriously. The blonde had been acting strangely, and Xembré had still not forgotten the weirdness that was the infamous _Christmas Party_. She still had trouble speaking to him normally, and if she hadn't known better (or been interested in Zexy) she would have said she liked him.

Demyx looked away, but answered immediately. "What do you mean?"

Xembré sighed, exasperated. "Demyx, this is the second time you've slugged Zexion. There has to be something wrong, or something bothering you. Don't even try lying to me, I can tell when you're upset." She crossed her arms and glared at her friend, who kicked sheepishly at the tile floor.

"Come on," Xembré said firmly. "Tell me what's wrong."

Demyx took a deep breath, looked up at her, and then looked away again. Then he looked back at her and said, very slowly as though reluctant, "I think I… like you…"

Xembré wasn't sure what to say. She raised her eyebrows, and then smiled and hugged Demyx. She felt him stiffen, but after a moment he relaxed and returned the hug. "You're an awesome friend, Demyx." She said gently. She didn't want to hurt Demyx, but she was having trouble thinking of him as a boyfriend. "I don't think I'd ever have gotten through the last few months without you, and I'm really glad you're my friend." She pulled away, and smiled at him. Demyx smiled too, shyly, and he was still blushing.

"Let's go find Zexion," She said, and the linked arms with her friend, proud of herself for not hurting him. She would have never forgiven herself if she had hurt or embarrassed Demyx at that moment when his 'feelings' were laid bare. She would have felt terrible in Demyx's situation.

Demyx smiled, but then looked around at the mess of popcorn he had made when he tackled Zexion. "Shouldn't we clean up first?" He asked.

Xembré shook her head. "Nah, we'll leave it for Xigbar to find." She said, and together they stepped into a portal to Zexion's room, where Xembré assumed The Cloaked Schemer had gone. Sure enough, Xembré knocked on his door to be answered by a curt "Come in." She opened the door, and stepped into Zexion's room to find him in his bathroom examining himself in the mirror. This was such an odd occurrence that she hesitated. Then she realized that his eye was beginning to show signs of becoming blackened, and she giggled.

"Aww, poor Zexy," She said in a mock-pity voice. She winked at Demyx as Zexion scowled, and then started forward. Demyx hung back near the door. Xembré wrapped her arms around Zexion from behind, and gazed at him in the mirror. "It doesn't look too bad," She commented, referring to the black eye. "Put some ice on it. I'll get Vexen!"

"NO!" Zexion said hastily. But Xembré was already out the door. She portaled quickly to Vexen's lab, where she found not Vexen, but Marluxia.

"Where's Vexen?" She asked, startling The Graceful Assassin. Marluxia dropped the instrument he was using, and swore loudly before looking up. Xembré giggled, and apologized.

"He's in the kitchen." Marluxia answered. "I'm only down here because the solitude of my room as been invaded by noises you don't want to hear." He grimaced, and went back to tinkering with his latest experiment.

Xembré pulled a face. "That was something I didn't need to know." She said, and then she hugged Marluxia and disappeared into a portal.

In the kitchen she found Vexen drinking coffee. The Chilly Academic was perusing a book that appeared to be a photo album. "What're you looking at?" Xembré asked, advancing to look over Vexen's shoulder.

Vexen hardly glanced at her. "I found these in the library." He indicated a stack of albums resting on the table. "I have no idea who put them together, but there's one for each member of the Organization." He was looking at one bound in blue and black. As she looked closer, Xembré saw that it was filled with pictures of Zexion. The picture that caught her eye first was of the Cloaked Schemer who appeared to have thrown his arm up just in time to avoid getting his face in the picture. Who knew Zexion was camera shy?

Xembré laughed. She would have fun looking through those when she had time. At the moment, she had more pressing business to attend to. She had left Zexion, who had a black eye, and Demyx, who had given Zexion said black eye, alone. That was never a good thing.

"Oh yeah, Zexion needs ice…" She said suddenly. "He's got a black eye." She giggled, and crossed to the freezer. She had no intention of carrying out her threat of getting Vexen's help. "Can I borrow those when you're done?" She asked as she filled a plastic sandwich bag with ice, added a little water and wrapped it in a towel. Vexen nodded absently, and Xembré smiled before portalling back to Zexion's room.

Zexion was sitting on his bed _chatting_ with Demyx. Unnerved, Xembré stood rooted to the spot until Zexion glanced her way. His black eye had gotten worse. Wincing, Xembré advanced and handed him the ice.

"Thanks," Zexion said, and he held the ice gingerly to his eye.

"Well, I'd better get going, Lexaeus wanted me for something." Demyx said cheerfully. He grinned, waved, and disappeared.

It was quiet for a moment, and then Xembré sat beside Zexion on the bed. "Does it hurt?" She asked, meaning his eye. Demyx had also split Zexion's lip, but that didn't look so bad.

Zexion winced as he took the ice from his eye. "Not as much as my injured pride." He said softly, and Xembré had to laugh. Zexion smiled ruefully, and then held the ice to his eye again. "Demyx hits hard…" He said, for once not using the blonde's number. He really had changed in the last few weeks. Xembré smiled fondly at him, and wrapped her arms around him in a hug.

"We should go for a walk or something." She said.

Zexion smiled, and agreed.

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_Awww, absolutely nothing happened. XD Like I said, it's just a filler chapter. I mean maybe a little something happened, but nothing really important. Zexion got pwned again, Demyx's secret is finally out, and, of course, Axel and Larxene… eh.. Never mind. . Anyways, Thankies for reading, and please review! Remember, happy reviews make a happy author! _

_I surprised myself with the insignificance of this chapter. I mean, it's all about the library, Xembré fantasizing about having a game night, Axel and Larxene, and photo albums. What the heck is with that?! _

_Also, I think this is the fastest I've ever updated. O.o I don't know why! _


	18. Bad Karma

Alone Forever

Chapter Eighteen

By Andruindel

_Here's the next chapter! I'm still all crazy about how quickly I updated last time. I don't see how that works… I don't think I've ever gotten a chapter up sooner than a week before that… Anyways… Enough of my rambling. Hope you like this chapter!_

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Xembré and Zexion sat quietly together in the lounge, snuggled close on the couch. Xembré held a photo album, and the two of them were looking at the pictures. She had looked through several of the albums already, and had reached Zexion's the night before. Now she was looking at the pictures of Zexion, half of them not showing his face. It appeared Zexion did not like cameras.

"The funny thing is," Zexion said, as he gazed at a picture of himself sitting on a bench in the garden. "I don't know who took all these pictures…" His tone lowered into a thoughtfulness befitting of him, and he turned his gaze to the roof.

Xembré looked up for a moment. "That's weird…" She said, and then she turned a page in the album. She barely stifled a laugh as she saw a picture of Zexion in a towel, walking through the castle toward his room. "When was that taken?" She asked, gazing at the picture while trying not to laugh. Zexion looked perfectly comfortable walking around in a towel, just like he had the day she'd first met him.

Zexion peered at the picture and tried to remember. "I think that was the day someone stole my clothes while I was in the shower…" He said, frowning lightly. "I never did find out who stole them…"

"Oh, that was me." Xembré looked up to see Demyx enter the room. He wore an easy smile. His hair looked damp, and was not in its usual spikes. "Sorry, Zex." He grinned, and then flopped into a chair across the room from them.

Zexion narrowed his eyes. "Remind me to make you pay for that, Number Nine." He said in a low voice. "The whole Organization was laughing at me that day, not to mention Larxene was all over me…" He sighed heavily, and slouched in his seat.

Xembré laughed. "You guys are so weird." She said, and she fondly ruffled Zexion's hair, because she couldn't reach Demyx. Zexion jerked away from her hand, and turned his dark eyes on her in a glare. Xembré merely rolled her eyes, and went back to the photo album. As she turned another page, a thought occurred to her. "Hey, Demyx, do you know who took all the pictures and made these photo albums?" She asked, looking up at the blonde.

Number Nine shifted in his chair, so one leg was hanging over the arm. "Nope," He said noncommittally. "Wait, what photo albums?" He stood and came over to look. Xembré showed him, and the blonde laughed.

"Oh, those. Yeah, I know who made them."

Xembré perked up. "Who?" She asked. She really wanted to know, but she could see mischief sparkling in Demyx's eyes.

Demyx shrugged. "I can't tell." He said. "I promised not to." He stuck out his tongue, and then returned to his seat.

Zexion had watched the exchange silently, his hair, as usual, hiding his right eye. He shook his head, only to have his bangs fall right back into place. "Are you sure you really know?" He asked Demyx. Demyx had been absentmindedly twirling a lock of hair around his finger. He had surprisingly long hair when it wasn't spiked.

Grinning, Demyx shrugged. "I dunno… That's the whole mystery of it." He winked, and then slouched farther into the chair he was occupying. His amazingly blue eyes were holding pure innocence, marred only by mischievous intent.

For a moment Xembré continued looking at the photo album, giggling at the many pictures of Zexion. In half of them he looked half asleep. The other half of them did not show his face. She could feel Zexion's arm on the back of the couch behind her, until finally he let his arm rest around her shoulders. She shifted a bit, uncomfortable with the fact Zexion had been flirting with her so openly recently. She was no doubt hurting Demyx at that very moment, even though he was doing a very good job of hiding it.

As Xembré finished looking at the last page in the album, she leaned forward to pick up another, effectively removing Zexion's arm from around her shoulders. She skipped the album featuring Saix, and went right on to Axel's. She couldn't wait to see the pictures of the pyro. As she leaned back into the couch, she felt Zexion scoot a tiny bit away from her. Maybe she'd offended him?

"Hey, have you guys seen Axel?" Demyx asked suddenly, perking up a little bit.

Xembré shrugged. "Not since breakfast." She replied. "Unless you count this." She turned the album around so Demyx could see the picture of Axel curled in a corner of the lounge, fast asleep.

Demyx laughed. "I remember that. He was so drunk that night! Of course, that was before you came here, Xembré…."

"Hmmmm…" Xembré looked back at the picture, and then closed the album abruptly. "Let's go do something." She said. She looked to Zexion, who merely shrugged. When she looked at Demyx, he appeared to be thinking.

"Why don't you draw?" He asked at last. "I would hang out, but I've gotta go fix my hair." He ran his hand through his still damp hair as he said that, adding emphasis to the statement.

Xembré sighed. "I would draw, but I lost my sketchbook." She said softly. She had spent so long searching for her beloved sketchbook that she had eventually run out of places to look.

"Sucks to be you," Demyx replied vacantly, and then he disappeared into a portal with a wave.

That was so unlike Demyx, that Xembré was too busy thinking about that to notice Zexion leaning toward her. When she finally realized, it was almost too late. Zexion was so close; she could smell the distinct scent of pine that lingered around him. His eyes closed half-way, and he moved even closer. He was going to…!

Xembré dodged The Cloaked Schemer's kiss, almost without thinking. She closed her eyes tightly as she turned away, her heart beating rapidly. What had she just done? She felt Zexion take her hand, and looked up at him, feeling herself blushing lightly. His expression was more closely guarded than usual, and he looked disappointed.

"Zexion, I," Xembré wasn't completely sure what she was going to say. All she knew was that she had dodged the one kiss from Zexion she had possibly actually wanted. All the other potential kisses she had not desired. This one… She just wasn't sure any more.

Zexion stopped her by putting a finger to her lips. "Do you want to go for a walk, Xembré?" He asked.

Xembré flushed under his gaze, but then smiled. "Yes, I'd love to." She said.

She squeezed Zexion's hand, but before they could stand Axel came into the room. He checked his pace as he saw Zexion and Xembré holding hands, but then gave Xembré a cocky wink. "Sorry, Xembré, The Superior needs to see Zexion. So, I'll have to steal your boyfriend for a minute."

"He's not my boyfriend!" Xembré protested, flushing even darker. Axel merely winked again, and then departed. Zexion gave Xembré a soft smile, and stood to go. Before Xembré could even say good bye, he had disappeared into a portal.

Xembré took a moment to gather up the photo albums she had been looking at before wandering from the lounge to her room, wondering why Xemnas had wanted Zexion, and thinking that maybe she would take a nap. But at the same time she was thinking over _the kiss that almost was_. Was Zexion angry with her for dodging? She hadn't meant to. But had she wanted the kiss? Part of her said yes. The other part said no. She just wasn't sure.

She reached her room in a very confused state of mind, and let the albums drop onto her bed with a thump. Then she threw herself down on the bed, and stared up at the ceiling.

When she had been in her room scarcely ten minutes, a knock came at her door. She got up from her bed, where she had still been contemplating a nap, and went to answer. To her surprise, Zexion, Axel and Demyx were standing in the hall.

"Hi," Xembré wasn't sure what to think. "What's going on?"

"We've got a mission." Demyx replied. "We wanted to say bye."

Xembré blinked. "A mission? All three of you?" Before she could voice any more of her confusion, Axel had hugged her and dashed away in the direction of Larxene's room. Apparently he wanted to say good bye to her too. Xembré turned her eyes from Axel's retreating form to Demyx, and then onto Zexion.

"How long will you be gone?" She asked. She was trying to make light of the situation, but finding it difficult. With all three of her friends gone, what would she do?

Demyx shrugged. "Probably no longer than a week." He said cheerfully. "But, that's a long time. So we wanted to say bye." He glanced once at Zexion, and then enveloped Xembré in a warm hug. Xembré leaned into his embrace, loving the feel of his arms around her. He gave the greatest hugs. When he pulled away, he gave her a grin. "I guess I'll see ya later," He said, and then he stepped back into a portal.

That left Xembré and Zexion alone in the hall. Blushing, Xembré looked up at Zexion, who gazed silently back at her. After a moment of silence, Xembré hugged The Cloaked Schemer. "Be careful, Zexion." She said. She felt Zexion's arms tighten around her briefly, and then he pulled back.

"Always," He said. Then he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "When I get back, we'll look for your sketchbook." He promised. With that he gave her a fleeting smile, and disappeared into a portal.

Xembré stood for a moment in her doorway, a vacant expression on her face. Maybe Zexion wasn't mad at her after all. With a faint sigh, Xembré reentered her room, and flopped down on her bed. She would be alone, for at least a week. What one earth was she supposed to do?

-----

It was on the ninth day that Demyx, Zexion and Axel returned. They came back when Xembré was sitting down to an early lunch with Marluxia. She had taken to once again haunting the lab, and she had a feeling she had annoyed Marluxia a lot during those nine days. Surprisingly, Marluxia had put up with her. He had even, on a night she'd had a nightmare, allowed her to spend the night in his room. Now the two Organization members sat together at the table, watching as Larxene squabbled with Xigbar over the last cookie in the cookie jar.

Xembré looked up as the doors opened, and her three friends entered. They all appeared to be tired, but Demyx perked up as soon as he saw Xembré. Xembré rushed toward her friends, and ran right into Demyx's arms. She had missed the blonde most of all. He had always been her best friend; a source of comfort, and endless fun. Without him, she felt lost. The hug he gave her was warm, but he seemed exhausted. Looking up at him as she pulled away, Xembré saw that he had bags under his eyes, and behind the sparkles in his eyes, was the pure desire for sleep.

"Hey, Xembré," Demyx said. He ruffled her hair as he greeted her. "Did you miss me?"

"Of course I did," Xembré said. She hugged him again, and then pulled back to smile. "I always miss you, Demyx."

Demyx returned her smile, and went to fix himself something in the kitchen. As he left, Xembré turned her gaze on Zexion. The dark-haired Nobody let a smile cross his face for a split second, and before he could react, Xembré had tackled him in a hug. He nearly lost his balance, and ended up bracing himself against the wall behind him.

"Well hi, Zexy," Xembré said as she rested her cheek against his chest. "I missed you." She smiled as Zexion said nothing, but rubbed her back. Leave it to Zexion to act like he had never left. Xembré pulled back to look at him. He looked just as exhausted as Demyx.

"Was it a hard mission?" Xembré asked sympathetically. She took his hands in hers as she looked up at him.

Hearing her question, Axel called across from the table where he sat with Larxene. "Hard doesn't even begin to describe it."

The Savage Nymph stroked Axel's cheek. "Poor Axel-sama," She simpered.

Xembré caught Demyx's eye and looked away quickly, grinning. Then she pulled Zexion toward the table to sit with their friends. She had not seen them for over a week. They had some catching up to do.

"So, how'd the mission go?" Xembré asked as she made herself comfortable beside Demyx. Number Nine was guzzling coffee like there was no tomorrow. He paused long enough to open his mouth, but Axel cut him off.

"We failed. Xemnas got mad. I swear, I'm gonna leave some day." He leaned back, rested his arm around Larxene's shoulders.

Xembré was startled. "Don't talk like that, Axel! You know what would happen if you left!" She was concerned for her friend's safety. And knowing Axel, if he was pushed hard enough, he _would_ leave.

"Does it look like I care? I'm getting tired of this whole Organization. Some day, I'm going to have my own life. No more rules, no more Xemnas getting mad, no one telling me what to do." He yawned, stretched, and then stood. "I'm gonna go get some sleep. If anyone wakes me, they die." He winked, and then left. Soon enough, Larxene followed.

Once Axel was gone, Xembré turned to Demyx. He was pouting. "Did you want to say something?" Xembré knew him well enough to tell when he had been interrupted. He had a specific pout reserved for just that reason.

He nodded. "Yes.. I wanted to say that this—" His sentence was interrupted by a yawn. "was the hardest mission ever. I'm exhausted…" He leaned his head against Xembré's shoulder, closing his eyes.

"Aw, poor Demy-kun," Xembré stroked Demyx's hair, smiling softly at him. "Why don't you go take a nap too?" She sent a covert glance at Zexion, who appeared to be drowsing. "I think both of you should take a nap." She proclaimed. "Come on, let's go. I'll catch up with you later, Zexy-kun." She glanced at Zexion as she stood and pulled Demyx to his feet. The blonde stumbled once as she pulled him toward the portal she'd opened. The portal took them to Demyx's room.

"Go on, go sleep." Xembré said, pushing Demyx toward the bed.

Demyx sat, pouting. "But I'm all stiff and sore…" He whined.

Xembré shook her head at the typical Demyx behavior. Smiling gently at him, she sat down beside him. "Lay down," She said, pushing him facedown on the bed. He stiffened, but when Xembré began rubbing his shoulders, he relaxed. "That's it, just relax…" Xembré murmured. She felt Demyx's muscles relax even more, and soon his breathing deepened, and he was fast asleep. Xembré smiled as she looked down at Demyx, sleeping peacefully. As she stood, he shifted in his sleep, but then settled down again. Still smiling, Xembré stepped quietly into a portal.

The portal brought her to Zexion's room. She knocked lightly, and the door opened. Zexion had removed his cloak, and was wearing a black T-shirt and black pants. "Hi," Xembré entered Zexion's room, and glanced around. It still showed signs of having been uninhabited for over a week. His bed was made, and there was a light layer of dust covering everything.

"Hi," Zexion answered. He closed the door, and watched as Xembré sat on his bed. After a moment he joined her on the bed. "Did you really miss me?" He asked, focusing his dark gaze on her.

Xembré smiled. "Of course I did." She said. She stretched out on the bed, and gazed up at the ceiling. "I wish I had a cat. Then maybe I wouldn't have been so lonely. Plus, cats are just good company." She sighed, and then looked at Zexion, smiling. "But, I would still like you better, Zexy-kun." She said.

A smile crossed Zexion's face for a moment, and he stretched out beside Xembré. "Maybe I'll get you a cat, Xembré-domo..." He murmured, following her lead and adding a Japanese prefix to her name. He found her hand, and squeezed as he watched her blush lightly.

"I dunno if Xemnas would like that," Xembré said thoughtfully. "I mean, can you just imagine the poor Kitty? She'd go up to Xemnas like: Meow… And he'd be like: Stupid cat! And kick it or something…" She laughed at the mental image, despite the injuries that would no doubt be given to the cat if it were to be kicked. She shifted closer to Zexion, enjoying just being with him.

Zexion chuckled. "Maybe it wouldn't be such a good idea, then…" He said. He propped himself up on an elbow, and looked down at Xembré where she lay on the bed. She blushed as she met his eyes, but did not look away. "We'll have to fix the problem of you being lonely when I'm gone, though…" He said, and he brushed her bangs away from her face, causing her to blush even harder.

"Just don't go away again for a while," Xembré said. She pulled him back down to lie beside her, and snuggled closer to him. "You should be sleeping…" She said softly. "You're just as exhausted as Axel and Demyx." She sat up, and slipped off the bed. "I'll see you later," She said, and she left after giving his hand one last squeeze.

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A few days later, Demyx and Axel were walking through the halls together. Axel was fuming. He'd just gotten in trouble for calling Xigbar an ancient fart. It was true, too! Xigbar was old, and trying to act like he wasn't with all the 'as if' and 'dude' stuff. Axel hated how Xigbar was trying to act old, when he was really just an ancient fart. Unfortunately, Xemnas had heard him taunting Number Two, and he'd gotten in trouble.

Axel was not paying attention to the blonde tagging along behind him. He was too busy thinking of his revenge. He would get Xemnas back. Just as he was turning down a hallway, a cat crossed his path. The cat was black, with one white paw, and dark eyes. Axel didn't pause to think on the strangeness of finding a cat in the castle.

"Stupid cat!" Axel shouted, and he kicked the cat as hard as he could.

"Axel! You'll get bad karma!" Demyx cried, watching as the poor cat landed half-way down the hall with a heavy thud.

"I don't care," Axel snarled. "I'm sick of this place." He stomped farther down the hallway, only to be stopped short when a door opened and he slammed into it.

Demyx caught up with him and leaned down to look into Axel's face. "Bad karma, Axel…" He said simply. Axel narrowed his eyes at him, and then looked up to see who had opened the door. It was Marluxia. Number Eleven glanced once at Axel, who was slumped on the ground, and frowned lightly. But instead of commenting, he simply portaled away.

"Ow…" As soon as Marluxia was gone, Axel clapped a hand to his face. "That hurt…" He had not intended to let Marluxia see him in pain.

Demyx laughed. But then he heard a noise and looked up. Xembré was kneeling beside the cat, and stroking its head. As Demyx watched, the cat's image blurred and was replaced by Zexion on all fours and clutching his ribs. "Oh, shoot…" Demyx said. "Axel, you just kicked Zexion…"

Xembré helped Zexion to his feet. The Cloaked Schemer winced a bit as he stood, and turned a dark gaze on Axel. Axel gulped as Xembré joined Zexion in glaring at him. "Uh… Sorry, Zex…" He called, hoping to get off with that.

Xembré gave Zexion a reassuring touch on the shoulder, and then came toward Axel. "Why on earth would you kick a cat, Axel?" She asked. "Is that something you normally do?" She planted her hands on her hips as she glared at Axel. The red-head seemed to shrink before her anger.

"Uh…" Axel ran a hand through his hair as he attempted to find something to say. "Look, it's not my fault. I was just angry. Xemnas got mad at me again."

Xembré sighed. "Whatever, Axel…" She said. She gave him one last, thoughtful glance, and then went back to join Zexion. The Cloaked Schemer winced as she grabbed his hand, and pulled him into a portal.

"I told you, Axel…" Demyx said. "I told you you'd get bad karma!"

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Xembré's portal took her and Zexion to her room. She pushed Zexion carefully down onto her bed. "Let me see," She said. Zexion obediently slipped out of his cloak, and pulled his shirt off over his head, hissing in pain. Xembré winced visibly when she saw the damage. His entire left side was one big bruise. Xembré gently ran her hands across the bruise, feeling for any further injury.

"I don't think anything's broken." She said at last. She looked up as Zexion took her hand.

"No, but if I were in any of my smaller forms, I would have several broken ribs." He smiled lightly before kissing Xembré's hand.

"Why on earth were you a cat in the first place?" She asked.

Zexion shrugged. "You said you wanted a cat…" He said hesitantly.

Xembré was touched by Zexion's gesture, despite how it had turned out. "That's sp sweet…" She said, smiling at him. "You know… I, I really…" She paused and lowered her eyes. "I really l—" Before she could finish her sentence, her door burst open.

"Xembré, you've got to come quick!" Demyx had once again ruined the moment. Number nine looked close to panic.

Xembré glanced once at Zexion and then stood and followed Demyx away without a word. Demyx seemed far too preoccupied top want to talk to her. He led her to his room, where Axel was pacing.

"What's going on?" Xembré could tell right away that something was wrong.

Axel did not stop pacing, his hands clasped behind his back. "I'm leaving."

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_Woah, I'm sorry for the cliffhanger at the end there. I couldn't resist. Also, there were Japanese prefixes in this chapter! Zomg! I couldn't resist doing that, either. Xembré-domo sounds so cool. Also, I know some of you must be wondering: Why on earth does Zexy-kun smell like pine?! The answer to that is simply that I like the smell of pine. I think it's mysterious and enigmatic. XD As you can probably tell, this chapter is a lot longer than the average chapter. It's because I wanted to smash as much happiness into it as was possible. I'm really not looking forward to writing the next two chapters all that much. It's time for the sadness to begin… But, for any and all of you who like Demyx x Xembré, you should like a certain part in the next chapter. Thank you for reading, and don't forget to review!_


	19. A Parting

Alone Forever

Chapter Nineteen

By Andruindel

_Well… Here is the second to last chapter. Once again, I'm sorry for the cliffhanger at the end of the last one, but, I didn't want to continue and ruin the happiness of the last chapter. This chapter is going to make me sad. ;-;_

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Shock prevented Xembré from speaking. She stared at the pacing red-head, her mind still trying to comprehend what he had said. When she finally regained her voice, she could only say one word: "What?!"

She felt Demyx's hand on her shoulder, and then his arms went around her waist. But she paid no attention to the blonde as she watched Axel continue pacing. "What did you just say?" She asked. Her voice was finally back, but her mind was still struggling to understand. Axel could not have meant what he'd just said. Had she even heard him right?

Axel stopped his pacing for a moment. "I'm going to leave. I'm tired of the Organization. I'm tired of being told what to do, and getting in trouble for being myself. I'm going to get out of here and live my own life. And Demyx is coming with me."

Demyx's arms tightened around Xembré's waist, and she turned in his arms to look up at him. Her question was apparent in her eyes, but she spoke it none-the-less. "You're leaving too?"

Demyx nodded silently. Sadness was hidden underneath his usual cheerfulness, and his eyes were dark. "Yes. I've decided I want my own life too." He said. All earlier panic was gone, replaced by pure determination and a sort of calm peace. He tightened his arms around her, pulling her close, and she rested her cheek against his chest, fighting the tears that did not exist.

Xembré could understand why her friends were leaving. She would have gone with them, were it not for the chance of having a relationship with Zexion. But her mind was asking two questions, and was unable to answer: Was Zexion worth losing her best friends, quite possibly forever? And would she be able to get Zexion to go with them? If she could convince him to leave, then she could have what she wanted. All of it.

She hugged Demyx tightly, and then felt Axel put his hand on her shoulder. She pulled out of Demyx's arms, and felt herself enveloped in Axel's warm embrace. His internal body heat was much higher than hers, and so the result was a warmer than usual hug. Combined with The Melodious Nocturnes hug from her other side, the effect was interesting. But Xembré was too preoccupied to think about that.

"When are you leaving?" She asked the question as she pulled away from the group hug.

"In a week… You've got a week to decide if you're coming with us…" Axel seemed to understand the decision that Xembré was struggling with. He cupped her cheek in his hand, focusing that emerald gaze of his on her for a long moment. Then he planted a kiss on her forehead, and pulled back. "I have to go see Larxene." He said. With one last glance at The Voice of Persuasion he disappeared into a portal.

It was silent for a split second, and then Demyx pulled Xembré back into his arms. "Come with us, Xembré, please…"

Xembré pulled away. "I don't know. I need time." She shook her head, unable to express just what was going on in her mind. She gave Demyx an apologetic look and left. She paced the halls, hardly paying attention to where she was going. Eventually she found herself near the dining room. Her stomach was telling her it was probably dinner time. Accompanied by the voices in the dining room, that was enough to make her go inside, and glance around. Axel sat sullenly, casting glances at Larxene every few seconds. Demyx appeared normal. The only difference was a slight change in his demeanor. His usual slightly unsure demeanor was gone, and had been replaced by a calm reassurance, almost as though he knew what he wanted, and knew he was going to get it.

Xembré took her place at the table, and slouched in her seat, gazing hard at the table top. The heard the door open and close a few more times, and then the chatter in the room died down. She looked up to see Xemnas enter the dining room, and watched, along with the rest of the Organization, as he took his seat. The Nobodies waited respectfully until Xemnas had taken the first bite of his meal, and then they began eating as well.

As Xembré sat picking at her food, she happened to glance up at Larxene. Larxene gave her a look that clearly said: _You and I have a choice to make_. Xembré gave her a tight-lipped smile, and then turned back to her meal.

The chatter going on in the dining room was no different than usual. Most of it was focused on reports, missions, and a poker game scheduled for that night. The only difference was that Axel was not taking part in it. Axel would normally have loved a game of poker. But now, it seemed his mind was on other, more important things.

Xembré ate hardly anything. Despite the hunger she knew would bother her later on, she couldn't make herself eat. She ended up just picking her food apart, and listening to the conversations going on around her.

Once the others were done eating, and getting ready to depart, Xembré stood, and left.

Before she could get too far, someone called her name. She turned, and saw Zexion hurrying toward her. Now that she thought about it, she did not remember seeing Zexion at dinner. She let him catch up, gazing with less than curiosity at him as she realized he was holding something behind his back.

"Are you okay?" Zexion asked, peering at her from beneath his hair.

Xembré shrugged.

"Do you want to go for a walk?"

"Not right now…"

Zexion fell silent, and paced beside Xembré, gazing at the floor in front of him. Finally he looked back up at her. "Xembré, I found your sketchbook."

Xembré finally perked up. "You did?" She asked hopefully. She had been missing her sketchbook for weeks. Now, with the possibility of drawing again, her good mood had returned a bit.

Zexion produced the sketchbook from behind his back. "Here," He said as he handed it to her.

Xembré smiled. "Thank you, Zexion." She said, and she gave him the smallest of smiles. At that moment she really didn't have much to smile about. Her two best friends were leaving, and she had to make the choice to either go with them, or stay.

Zexion took her hand as they continued walking, and squeezed lightly. Xembré was glad he was there, but at the same time, she wanted to be alone.

After a moment, she pulled her hand from his. "I'll see you later, Zexion. Thanks again for finding my sketchbook." She smiled, and then opened a portal to her room.

-----

For the next few days, Xembré considered her options from every angle. If she left, she would lose the possibility of a relationship with Zexion, while at the same time risking her safety. If she stayed, she would lose both her best friends, but have the possibility of a relationship with Zexion. At the same time, there was the possibility that Zexion would not ask her out. Or, she could get Zexion to go with them, and have a relationship with him, while staying with her two best friends. She could think of no other options.

Finally, she concluded that the only way to tactfully ask if Zexion would go with them was to make it seem like an innocent question. After having come to that conclusion, Xembré concluded that she would have to go find him. She had avoided the other members to an extent that Marluxia had asked her what was wrong. The perceptive Nobody had noticed the fact that she was lost in thought. Xembré could only hope that he hadn't found out what.

With a sigh, Xembré began pacing her room. She needed to figure out the best way to word the question. She stopped in front of her mirror, and was distracted by her hair. She had not bothered brushing it that morning, and it was a mess. On a sudden whim, she reached for her brush and dragged it through her hair. When her hair was once again smooth and sleek, she smiled lightly to herself. And then a knock came at her door.

"Come in," She called, still looking at her reflection thoughtfully. Perhaps some lip gloss and eye shadow would help her distract Zexion enough to keep him from fully focusing on the question.

Her door opened, and in her mirror she saw Zexion peering around the door. "Would you like to go for a walk?" He asked, stepping around the door and into her room. "It's sunny out, but you'll still have to dress warmly."

Xembré turned to smile at him. "Sure," She replied. "Hang on a minute." She crossed to her closet, and snatched a sweatshirt. Pulling it on over her head, she then slipped into her cloak. Ready, she smiled again at Zexion before following him into a portal.

They exited the portal on the top step of the castle. Though the sun was shining, the ground was covered in snow. Xembré shivered as the cold air hit her, and stood staring out at the snow-covered grounds.

"It looks like we're not the only ones with this idea," Zexion said, nodding toward the frozen pond where Axel and Larxene stood hand in hand. He caught Xembré's hand in his, and led her in the opposite direction, toward Marluxia's rose garden. "If you ask me, Number Eight is acting like he and Larxene only have a short time together…" Zexion said.

"Zexion, there aren't going to be roses this time of year." Xembré pointed out, completely ignoring his comment about Axel.

Zexion gave her a quiet smile. "I know. But it'll offer some privacy."

Cocking her head to one side in curiosity, Xembré blinked. That could be either a good thing, or a bad thing. As they walked, Xembré tried to ignore the Nobody beside her as much as possible. She knew he was watching her, but she didn't want to acknowledge it. Eventually she pulled her hand out of his and ran toward the fountain in the middle of the garden. She looked for a moment at the water cascading downward, and then she looked at the snow on the edge of the fountain.

Carefully pressing a handprint into the snow, she smiled. And then Zexion was beside her, pressing his hand into the snow beside hers. The sentimentality of the action made Xembré crease her brow in a tiny frown. She pulled her hand away to reveal the handprint, and then turned to look at Zexion.

"Is there a reason you brought me out here, Zexion?"

Brushing the snow from his glove, and still looking at their handprints in the snow, The Cloaked Schemer looked once again like his customary silent, scheming self. And then he looked up at Xembré, focusing his dark gaze on her. "Maybe,"

His vague answer made Xembré roll her eyes. Before she could say anything, however, Zexion had taken both her hands in his. She raised her eyes to his face, and as she met his gaze, she blushed lightly.

"Zexion," Even before Zexion could gather himself to say something, Xembré spoke. With a resigned sigh, Zexion answered.

"Yes?"

"If I were to leave, would you go with me?"

Startled, Zexion blinked once. "Are you considering leaving?" He asked, fixing her with a gaze that he knew would communicate his opinion on the idea.

"No, I was just wondering." Xembré sighed.

"Good… Now, I have a question to ask you…" Despite the suspicion buzzing in his mind, Zexion noticed that Xembré looked distracted now. "Will you…"

"Zexion, I just realized, I told Demyx I would listen to a song he's writing, and help him out with it."

With a sigh, full of resignation and long-suffering, Zexion pulled her into his arms. "Okay," He whispered against her hair, and then a portal enveloped them, bringing them to the kitchen. There, Zexion continued to hold Xembré close, until she was squirming in his arms. The way he held her made her think maybe something was going on that she didn't know about.

When finally he let her go, Xembré could feel herself blushing. Rather than let Zexion see, she turned away. That was when her eyes fell on Demyx, sitting in a corner with his Sitar, and a steaming mug sitting beside him. He held a paper and pencil, and his tongue was poking out of his mouth as he concentrated. He hadn't even noticed Xembré and Zexion.

"Demyx," Xembré spoke the blonde Nobody's name as she crossed the kitchen to stand in front of him.

Demyx looked up, and grinned. "I knew you'd turn up eventually." He said lightly. "Like I said, I'm writing this song, but I'm stuck…" He picked up his sitar, motioning to a chair as he did. "Sit down while I play it for you."

Doing as she was told, Xembré seated herself in the chair, glancing around the kitchen. Zexion was gone already. She watched as Demyx warmed up, and then leaned back as he began the song.

"That was beautiful," She breathed as Demyx stopped.

Demyx gave her a grin. "Thanks. But I'm not sure what to do next." He plucked experimentally at a few strings, and then sighed.

Xembré thought for a moment. "You should do something totally unexpected." She mused.

Demyx considered for a moment, and then continued where he had left off. Instead of the soft, lulling quality the music had held before, it now held something totally unexpected, a twist that jolted one out of the softness of before.

Xembré smiled. "Just like that." She said, as Demyx stopped and looked up at her.

Demyx heaved himself up from the floor, and leaned his sitar carefully against the wall. Then, he seated himself across the kitchen table from Xembré, fixing her with a gaze that did not fit him.

"There's been a change of plans." He said in a low voice. "We're leaving tonight."

-----

"Xembré," Xembré woke instantly as a voice called her name. She sat up, and found herself looking into Demyx's face. Immediately she slipped out of bed, her expression serious.

"It's time..." Demyx whispered. He reached for her hand, and pulled her into a portal, which took them outside the castle, and into The World That Never Was. Xembré looked around her, and spotted Axel and Larxene not too far away. The red-head started toward them, followed closely by Larxene, and stopped beside Demyx.

"I guess… I guess this is good bye, Xembré." Axel said slowly. "I wish you would come with us." Without another word he pulled Xembré into his arms, hugging her tight. Xembré buried her face in his chest, wishing he wouldn't go. But, he had made his decision, as had she.

Axel pulled back after a moment, and held her at arms length. "Before I go, I have to warn you about Zexion. Never once has Zexion been known to do something for someone, just for the hell of it. It always benefits him in some way, later on. Keep that in mind, alright?" He fixed her with his emerald eyes for a moment, waiting for her silent nod before releasing her and then moving away with Larxene.

Xembré turned to Demyx, and then threw herself into his arms. "I wish you wouldn't go, Demyx." She said against his chest. She clutched the front of his cloak, as though if she let go he would disappear. The Melodious Nocturne's arms wrapped around her tightly, and he held her close, comforting her more than words could have.

Eventually, she had to let him go. She did so, but only enough to look up at him, while remaining in the circle of his arms. Demyx smiled lightly at her, and lifted a hand to brush at her bangs.

"Has Zexion asked you out yet?" He asked.

Frowning at the oddness of the question, Xembré shook her head. Before she could ask why, Demyx's smile had widened.

"Good. I guess I won't have to worry, then." He said, and, wasting no more time on words, he leaned down to kiss her, full on the mouth. He tasted of blueberry. At least, that's what Xembré thought, in her current muddled state of mind.

Rather than pull back, like she had expected she would if anything like that had ever happened, she kissed him back. His arms traveled around her waist, pulling her closer, and then, quite suddenly, he pulled back, out of breath and red in the face. Xembré blushed, and lowered her eyes, still trying to figure out just what had happened.

Demyx curled his hand under her chin, and lifted her chin so he could look her in the eye. "I want you to know, Xembré, that even though you've chosen Zexion over me, I still love you." He blushed harder, but grinned none-the-less. "Besides, I couldn't resist being the first to taste you."

That was more like Demyx. Xembré had to smile back at him, despite her embarrassment. "In a way, you were anyway…" She said softly. She cupped his cheek with her hand, and watched as he closed his eyes for a split second, hiding his ocean-blue orbs from her. And then Axel was calling his name. It was time for him to go. She kissed him swiftly on the cheek, and smiled. "Good bye, Demyx..." She whispered.

With one last grin that lit up his whole face, Demyx dashed away toward Axel. Axel lifted a hand in farewell before stepping into the portal he had created. Demyx waved as well, and then disappeared into the portal as well.

Xembré stood for what seemed an eternity, watching the place where they had disappeared. The darkness of the World That Never Was had never seemed more real, or the emptiness where her heart should have been more frightening. The empty abyss inside her had opened, and swallowed every ounce of happiness she had once thought she had possessed. With a final sigh, Xembré turned, and entered her own portal, back to her room that seemed that much lonelier, now that Demyx and Axel were gone.

--------

_Sorry for the delay, guys. I kinda put it on hold for a while. At least I got it up, right? Plus, Andy is banned from the internet until further notice. So, I might not get the next chapter up for a while. _

_Here's a note for you all: I know this is supposed to be a tragedy, but my friend had the brilliant idea of an alternate ending. So, I will put up the original ending first, and then put up the alternate ending right after, alright? _

_Reviews are much appreciated, but I might not get them right away. Thanks for reading!_


	20. The End

Alone Forever

Chapter Twenty

By Andruindel

_Oh dear…_

_This is the last chapter, isn't it? That makes me sad. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Thanks for reading!_

**Warning: **This chapter contains reference to a lemon. Nothing too explicit, but it's there. Just thought I'd let you know.

--------

Xembré woke the next morning, early as usual. She lay for a moment, staring at the ceiling and dreading the cold she would have to face if she were to get up. Soon, she was forced to start the day when the door burst open. For a moment she expected Demyx. But when Marluxia dashed into her room, she remembered. Zexion followed Number Eleven into her room at a steadier pace, and stood by the door, his hands clasped behind his back and a light smirk on his face.

"Xembré! You'll never believe it! Axel and Demyx are gone, and Larxene went with them!" Marluxia shouted, watching as Xembré sat straight up, clutching her blankets around her.

"You could have knocked… Wait, what?! They're gone?" Not caring that she was in pajamas, she jumped out of bed. Throwing her cloak on, she ran for the door.

Zexion caught her in his arms, and attempted to restrain her. "It's not use. They're gone." He said calmly.

Xembré pulled away from him. "Why would they leave?" She asked, looking toward Marluxia. "Why wouldn't they tell me?" She thought her act was convincing, but she saw the calculating expression on Zexion's face. He gave her a tiny frown, and then looked away, crossing his arms.

Xembré turned her attention back to Marluxia as he answered. "No one knows why they left. They never mentioned anything." He began fingering a lock of his hair as he paced her room. "The superior is extremely angry."

Watching as he paced, Xembré noted his agitation. "Are you sure they're gone? Are you sure they're not here somewhere?"

Marluxia stopped his pacing long enough to give her a half-smirk. "Oh yes, we're sure. We found, in Axel's room, a very sarcastic note singed onto the wall saying 'Let's see if you can find us, suckers.'"

Xembré flinched. "That's Axel for you…" She said. "What is Xemnas going to do?"

Marluxia shrugged. "I really don't know. He told me to tell you, and that's all I know about it. We're holding a meeting later at one. He wants everyone there." With that Marluxia swept away, still fingering a lock of his hair. Zexion followed, after giving Xembré one glance.

Xembré sat down on her bed, hugging herself. She missed Demyx and Axel horribly, and if the days to come were anything like this one was turning out to be, she didn't know how long she could withhold what little information she knew. With a sigh, she slipped back out of her cloak, and began getting dressed. She had a long day ahead of her.

-----

"Superior, I think I know where we can find information on Numbers Eight, Nine and Twelve. I am fairly sure one among us knows something."

Xemnas considered for a moment. "Very good. Retrieve this information by any means necessary." With a wave of his hand, he dismissed his spy, who bowed, and smirked.

"Yes, Superior."

-----

Xembré stood in Demyx's doorway, looking around at his room. It showed unmistakable signs of its owner having gone for good. His sitar was no where in sight, and all his sheet music was gone as well. His closet was open, and though he had abandoned his Organization cloak, he had taken his favorite shirts. Xembré stepped into the room, and went to the closet, where she picked up a shirt, and held it to her face. It smelled of Demyx.

"What are you doing?"

Xembré opened her eyes, and turned on the spot. She didn't want to, because she knew it was Zexion. But she did any way, because ignoring him would be rude. She clutched the shirt she held to her chest, and frowned lightly as she saw Zexion leaning casually in the doorway, his arms crossed and a smirk on his face.

"Do you really require an answer?" She asked. She was not really in the mood to put up with Zexion at the moment. Before Zexion could answer, she went on. "If you do, then I guess I'll give you one. I'm trying my hardest to avoid going down to that meeting." She looked away, afraid that Zexion might see the true reason she was there.

Zexion stepped into the room, perhaps a bit hesitantly, and approached Xembré. "I know you miss them," He said softly. "But they _did_ leave. Maybe they weren't really…"

Xembré cut him off, shaking off his arms as he attempted to pull her close. "Don't you dare say they weren't really my friends." She snapped at him. At the moment she was not in the mood to put up with Zexion. She missed her friends, and the whole Organization was going to be after them, so that added to her anxiety.

Zexion looked taken aback. He touched Xembré's arm in an attempt to reconcile his mistake, but Xembré merely pulled away again.

"If we're not careful, we'll be late." She said, and she stepped back into a portal, leaving Zexion in Demyx's room.

The meeting room was empty except for Xigbar when Xembré got there. Number Two looked up from a report he was reading, and his good eye narrowed. Xembré ignored him, and went to her spot, sitting down and watching as the room filled over the next few minutes. Zexion was the next to arrive, but he went right to his seat without attempting to speak to Xembré.

Finally, once the meeting room was full, minus Axel, Demyx and Larxene, Xemnas entered. He stood before the rest of the Organization, sweeping his eyes over them all before letting them rest on Xembré. Number Thirteen did not look up to meet his gaze, even though she knew the others were expecting that. She couldn't bring herself to look at the other members, or even focus on what Xemnas was saying.

Only when Xemnas mentioned that Marluxia and Vexen would be the first two to go searching for the runaways did she look up. Although she could not trust Marluxia with the fact she had known about the plans to run away, she had hoped she might confide in him her confusion and loneliness. She already missed her friends terribly.

She watched as Marluxia and Vexen both entered a portal, and then Xemnas dismissed them. Then she stood and opened a portal to her room. Just as she was about to step into it, Zexion called her name.

"Xembré,"

She turned, and met Zexion's eyes. "Yes?"

"Are you alright?"

Xembré shrugged. "Not really…" She kept a distance of at least three paces between her and Zexion, for she did not want him to attempt to hold her again. She was sure he had been about to ask her out the day before, and she was not completely sure what she thought of that. Right now, with Demyx's departure so recent, she did not want to think about something like that.

Zexion sighed, and looked away. "Alright. Come get me if you need anything. Anything at all." He looked back up at her for a split second, and then turned away.

Xembré entered her portal, and ended up in the lab, rather than her room, like she had intended. Both Vexen and Marluxia were there. They looked up at her, and she flushed lightly.

"I just wanted to say good bye." She said hastily. "And... you know, be safe."

Marluxia gave her his classic quiet half-smile half-smirk. "Oh, we will be." He said softly. "And don't worry; we'll try our best to bring back those ungrateful traitors."

Trying her hardest to ignore the jab at her best friends, Xembré smiled once before turning and leaving. She had a lot of work ahead if she was going to keep up her act.

-----

That night, Xembré couldn't sleep. She lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling and the drawings she had taped up there: The one of Axel, and the one of Demyx. She hated life around the castle without Axel and Demyx. She didn't know how she was going to survive without them.

Finally, as she could not take the silence of the night any more, she got up, and opened a portal. The portal took her to Demyx's room, where she slipped into the bed. Demyx had left a large stuffed dog behind, probably because he couldn't carry it with him. Xembré knew for a fact that he had slept with it often. Now, she pulled it to her and hugged it close, inhaling Demyx's scent. Oh god how she missed him.

She fell asleep clutching the dog, with her face buried in its fur.

After that, Xembré slept in Demyx's bed every night. She found the dog helped her sleep, and just being in Demyx's room, among the things he had left behind was a comfort as well.

The next few weeks passed in a hazy blur of comings, goings and seeing Zexion randomly. It seemed like no matter where she went, he always popped up to talk to her. And, she always blew him off, sometimes because she was in a bad mood, other times because she was busy avoiding people. She had taken to avoiding the other members of the Organization, simply because they all looked at her like she was guilty of some crime.

Every few days a group of searchers would come back, with no news of the runaways. After a group came back, another would be sent out. Soon enough, Xembré's turn came. At dinner one night, Xemnas told her that she and Zexion would be going out to look for the runaways.

"Yes, Superior," Xembré answered, and she got up to go prepare. She wouldn't need much, just some munny, and an extra change of clothes maybe.

When she was ready, she met Zexion outside the castle. The Cloaked Schemer beckoned her close, and for once she did not resist when he pulled her into his arms.

"Are you okay?" He asked, brushing at her bangs with the back of his hand.

Xembré shrugged. "I guess." She said softly. "I mean, it's not like I really care that my best friends are gone." The sarcasm in her tone was unmistakable.

Zexion sighed, and then opened a portal. "Come on, we're supposed to search Agrabah." The two Nobodies entered the portal, and Xembré found herself in the hot, desert air of Agrabah.

"Let's go that way," Zexion said, pointing to their right. Xembré nodded, and followed as he went toward the bazaar. It was empty, of course, but the full moon overhead illuminated the night. Xembré and Zexion walked slowly through the bazaar, keeping their eyes open for any sign of the runaways. But Xembré was fairly sure they would not be there. Demyx didn't like the desert.

After a thorough search of the bazaar, and the surrounding area, Zexion proposed they go up on a building, so they could see a wider area. Xembré agreed, though only half-heartedly. Though few knew it, she was not too fond of heights.

Up on the roof of a tall building, Xembré peered about, hoping that she would not see a flash of fire. For a few minutes they stood together in silence, and then Zexion spoke.

"It's weird how they left without telling you." He said, casting a side-long glance in her direction.

Xembré lowered her head and sighed. "They probably knew that telling me would put me in danger." She said softly. "I mean, if I had even a slight idea where they had gone, the whole Organization would be after that information."

It was quiet for another moment, and then Zexion spoke again.

"Xembré?"

"Yes?"

"I notice that since they left, we haven't talked much. Is there any specific reason?" Zexion inched closer, focusing completely on her for the first time since they had arrived in Agrabah.

"I guess it's just been really busy since they left." Xembré replied slowly. Truthfully, she was not completely sure why she had been avoiding Zexion.

Zexion continued to inch closer. "Oh… I thought that maybe it was because of what happened the day they left. Or, even before that, when you almost let something slip…"

Xembré had to think for a moment before she realized what he was talking about. The day she had learned about Axel's plan to leave, she had almost admitted to Zexion that she liked him. "That wasn't why we weren't talking." She said, finally turning to look at him.

He was much closer than he had been a minute ago, and she stepped backward. Zexion only advanced more, until she was up against a wall of the building they stood on that rose higher than the roof they stood on.

"I thought perhaps it was because you don't like me, and I made you uncomfortable. I mean, I told you once before that I didn't want to force you into a decision, and so I backed off. But maybe, that was a mistake? Maybe I mistook your reaction for a negative one, when I should have taken it to mean…"

"Zexion," Xembré cut him off, and he fell silent, gazing at her. "Just shut up and kiss me."

Zexion blinked once, before smirking and stepping forward. He cupped her cheek with his hand, and then brought his lips to hers in their first real kiss. At first Xembré returned the kiss hesitantly, for she was almost completely inexperienced in that department. But as she grew accustomed to the feel of his mouth against hers, she kissed him more firmly. Zexion kept his pace slow, taking into consideration her inexperience, and pulled back after a moment, to gaze down at the blushing Nobody in his arms. He had waited for so long to do that, he could not keep a smirk from crossing his face.

Xembré lifted a hand and combed her fingers through his bangs, giving herself a rare glimpse of both his eyes. And then she smiled brightly up at him, completely happy for the first time since Demyx had gone.

Zexion smiled back, and pressed a kiss to her brow before pulling back to speak again. "Will you go out with me, Xembré?" He whispered.

Xembré considered for a moment, and then smiled. "Sure."

-----

A few days later, Xembré and Zexion sat together in the library, squashed into an armchair together. They were reading a book, one Xembré had just discovered that day. Xembré was practically in Zexion's lap, and Zexion was playing with her hair, curling it around his fingers, and idly running his fingers through it. Xembré smiled as he kissed her neck lightly, enjoying being together with him, despite the fact that she missed her two best friends terribly.

Xembré jumped as the library door opened with a slam. Looking up, she blinked as her eyes fell on Xemnas. As far as she knew, Xemnas never entered the library. Of course, there had been that one time… She shook her head to clear it, and then she felt Zexion sliding out from underneath her. He left her in the armchair, and she watched as he approached Xemnas.

The two whispered earnestly together for a few minutes, and then Xemnas left. As he went, Xembré heard him mutter, 'I never know what's going on around here' to himself. She tilted her head to one side as Zexion returned.

"What was that?" She asked.

Zexion offered her his hand, and pulled her to her feet. "The Superior wants me to go out searching again." He murmured, pulling her into his arms and holding her close.

Xembré sighed. "You just went out a few days ago." She complained. "Do you have to? Why doesn't he send Xaldin?"

Zexion smiled lightly at her. "I got something to keep you from getting too lonely." He said, and he moved away to pick something up from beside the armchair. Xembré had not even noticed it before. It was a present.

Xembré took it, wondering what it could possibly be. When she opened it, she laughed. "You got me a lap top?" She asked.

Zexion smiled. "Of course. It's connected to the internet, so we can e-mail. It's a lot easier than talking on the phone, don't you think? And, I got myself this." He pulled a phone from his pocket, and his smile widened. "I can get on the internet with this, so we can always keep in touch." He leaned down to kiss her, and she smiled.

"Thanks, Zexion." She said softly as he pulled away.

-----

Xembré woke a few nights later to her phone ringing. "What the…" No one ever called her. She stumbled out of bed, and to her phone, grumbling at the lateness of the hour. And then she looked at her clock. It was seven in the morning.

"Hello…?" She picked up the phone, and answered.

"Hey, Xembré, guess who!"

Xembré didn't need to guess. "Axel!" She cried, and she couldn't keep from smiling.

"Hey, kiddo, how's it going?"

It was wonderful to hear Axel's voice again. In the background she could hear Demyx as well, calling 'Hi, Xembré!'

Xembré let her smile widen. "It's going great, now that I know for sure you guys are okay." She replied honestly. "How _are_ you guys, by the way?"

"We're doing okay. I would tell you where we are, but I can't. All I can say is that it's really nice at night, because it's not so loud. Cut that out, Demyx!" Axel made Xembré jump as he shouted at Demyx, who had just called 'Hi!' the tenth time. She heard a zap, a yelp, and then a 'Thanks, Larxene.'

"Sorry," Axel apologized after a moment, sounding aggravated. "I think Demyx wants to talk to you…"

Laughing, Xembré settled onto the floor with her back against her wall. "Well, why don't you let him?" She relaxed against the wall, smiling to herself as she listened to Demyx complaining to Axel in the background.

And then, it appeared Axel had relinquished the phone to Demyx. "Hi, Xembré!" Demyx said lightly.

"Hey," Xembré replied softly. Her mind wandered to the night her friends had gone, and she blushed at the memory. "Am I right in assuming Larxene just zapped you?"

"Yup," Demyx replied brightly.

Xembré laughed. "Well, tell her from me not to do it anymore."

She heard Demyx say something, and then he returned. "I told her! She says she'll do what she wants, especially when I'm being a retard." He sounded so cheerful; Xembré laughed, and then sighed.

"I miss you, Demyx."

"Aww, come on, Xembré, don't be sad! We're doing great! I just wish you'd have come with us." He sounded the slightest bit resentful, and Xembré decided she would not tell him she had gotten together with Zexion.

Before she could say anything else, Xembré heard a crash. "Oh, crap, I have to go. Some heartless just decided we look delicious. We'll try to call again some time. Bye, Xembré! I love you!"

Xembré laughed. "I love you too…" She said softly, and then she hung up the phone with a sigh.

That was when she realized, she was not alone.

"That wasn't me…" Zexion stepped into her room completely, a scowl on his face, and a stuffed cat in his hands. "That's a problem…. Who do you love??"

Casting about in her mind for a believable excuse, Xembré ended up saying the first name that came to her mind. "Xemnas," She replied, and she inwardly cringed at the horrible lie.

Zexion's eyebrow twitched almost imperceptibly, and then he raised one eyebrow at her. "Okay…" He said slowly. "Well, whatever's going on, I brought you something." He stepped forward and handed her the stuffed cat. The cat was black and white, and had eyes the color of spun gold. Xembré smiled at it, and hugged it tightly.

"Thank you, Zexion." She said. She stood up, and hugged Zexion.

"You said you wanted a cat." Zexion reminded her softly as she pulled away. He smiled, and kissed her lightly.

"Thanks," Xembré smiled up at him. "Hey, why don't we go watch a movie?" She glanced over her shoulder at her phone as they left, and mentally sighed. Zexion had nearly caught her talking to Demyx. If he had, the result would have been disastrous.

-----

The next day, Xembré sat in her room, surfing the web on her new laptop. As she sat with her chin resting in her hand, a little box popped up, telling her she had a new e-mail. She frowned, for she didn't recognize the e-mail address. But she opened it anyway.

She frowned as she read the short message out loud to herself.

"I found this picture, and thought it was funny. If it doesn't scare the shit out of you, there's something wrong."

With slight misgivings, Xembré opened the attachment. The picture really did scare the you know what out of her! It was a cartoon picture of Mickey Mouse, though he did not look like any Mickey Mouse she had ever seen! The only way to describe it was to say he had snaggle teeth, and he resembled something like a zombie. The caption said "Sup, Bitch!"

Xembré shuddered, and quickly closed the window. That had been the scariest thing ever seen by mankind. Or by any Nobody. She jumped as someone knocked on her door, and her sudden movement made her slip off her bed and to the floor with a loud thump.

"Xembré?"

As she struggled to her feet, she knocked her laptop onto the floor. "Dang it," She said loudly. Out of breath and flustered, Xembré opened her door.

"Are you okay?" Zexion asked.

"No, I'm fine." Xembré said distractedly. "Someone just sent me this really creepy picture, and you startled me." She stepped back to let Zexion in, and the first thing Zexion did was pick up her laptop. Then he sat on the bed and beckoned her close.

Xembré sat beside him, and giggled as he kissed the side of her neck.

"So what's up, Zexion?" Xembré asked, leaning away from Zexion so she could look him fully in the face.

Zexion shrugged. "Nothing. That's why I came here." He tilted his head slightly to one side, and rested his hand on Xembré's forearm. "You're shivering." He commented.

"Oh," Xembré laughed. "I guess that picture really did freak me out. How about we go watch a movie or something?" She stood up, and opened a portal to the lounge. Before stepping into it, she glanced once at her computer and shuddered. She would have nightmares that night for sure.

-----

Over the next few weeks, both Xembré and Zexion were sent out every few days. It seemed Xemnas was not giving up on finding the three runaways. Xembré and Zexion got almost no time together, thanks to their weekly missions. When Xembré wasn't out, Zexion was, and vice versa. The strain of staying up late on missions, and wishing she could see Zexion was beginning to show in Xembré.

The Nobody spoke little, and was very rarely seen around the castle. When she was seen, it was either outside Demyx's room, or actually in his room. She had taken to haunting Demyx's room like a wraith, partly because she missed Demyx, and partly because she was scared to death of the Mickey picture she'd been sent. Usually she only left when necessity dictated it. She slept there, with Demyx's large stuffed dog, and in the day time, she sat on the bed drawing. Her actions were beginning to worry some of the other Organization members.

Finally, one night when Xembré had just returned from a mission, something unexpected happened.

It was late, probably later than midnight, and Xembré was exhausted. She stepped out of a portal, and threw herself down on her bed, sighing heavily. She was almost too tired to go to Demyx's room that night. After a moment she got up to pull off her cloak. That was when she noticed she had a message on her phone.

Sighing, Xembré plodded toward her phone, and pushed the message button.

"One new message," The metallic voice proclaimed loudly. Xembré winced at the noise, and then growled. She knew there was a message!

"Xembré, it's me." Xembré perked up when she realized it was a message from Zexion. "Hey, I know you're not back yet, but as soon as you get back, would you come to my room? I really want to see you…" The message ended abruptly, and Xembré frowning lightly. What on earth could Zexion want badly enough for her to go wake him after midnight?

Despite her exhaustion, Xembré portaled outside Zexion's room. She knocked lightly on his door, and the door opened almost immediately. Zexion stood in his doorway, gazing down at her from behind his hair, and he blinked once as Xembré smiled at him.

"I got your message…" Before Xembré could finish her sentence, Zexion had pulled her into a kiss, inhibiting any more speech. As they kissed, Zexion maneuvered Xembré into his room, and closed the door with a small kick. Xembré jumped as the door slammed shut, and pulled away.

"You said you wanted to see me, but I didn't think you missed me that bad." She said, slightly out of breath and blushing.

Zexion merely smirked, and reached behind him to lock the door. Xembré didn't notice. "Of course I missed you." He said softly. "We've been separated for so long, I just got tired of it." He pulled Xembré into a gentler kiss, and then smiled down at her. "You know, sleeping with a stuffed dog every night isn't healthy for you, Xembré…"

Xembré blushed harder. "How'd you know?" She had thought no one knew that she slept with Demyx's stuffed dog.

"Do you know how many times I've gone to your room in the morning looking for you so we can hang out, only to find you're in Demyx's room sleeping with that dog of his?" Zexion asked, brushing at her bangs with the back of his hand.

Xembré blushed and lowered her eyes. "I can't help it… I miss him, and with you gone all the time I've been really lonely. I guess the dog kind of helps me sleep…" she smiled sheepishly up at Zexion, and he smiled back at her.

"Maybe I can take the dog's place tonight…" He murmured as he guided her toward the bed.

A bit apprehensive, Xembré followed him. He kissed her again, this time letting one hand move up to the zipper of her cloak. He eased it downward, until finally the cloak fell from her shoulders to pool around her ankles. Xembré pulled back minutely, and Zexion broke the kiss.

He gazed down at Xembré for a moment, and then reached for the zipper on his own cloak, only to have Xembre's hands replace his as she unzipped his cloak. Now it was clear, she wanted exactly what he did.

-----

Later that night, as Xembré lay huddled in Zexion's arms, and both of them were still slick with sweat, Xembré sighed with contentment.

"I love you, Zexion…" She whispered against his chest.

Zexion echoed her sigh, and reached down to kiss her. "Love you too, Xembré…" He said softly.

For a moment both were silent, and Xembré appeared to be drowsing. And then Zexion spoke again. "You know Xembré, I wish we could find Axel and Demyx so we wouldn't have to be separated all the time…" He said thoughtfully. "If Xemnas had any idea at all where to find them, he would probably stop sending us all out, and we would have more time together…"

Xembré considered for a moment. She had a very, very vague idea where her friends might be. Should she tell Zexion? After tonight, she was sure she could trust him.

"You know, I think I know where they might be…" She started slowly.

Zexion waited patiently as she paused, and watched her, able to almost literally see the mental struggle going on behind her eyes. And then she looked straight at him.

"I think they're in Hollow Bastion." She said.

Zexion kissed her again. There was more expressed in that kiss than could have ever been said in words. When Zexion pulled again, he gazed down at Xembré, who appeared to be only barely awake.

"Go to sleep, Xembré…" He said gently.

Xembré needed no second bidding. She immediately curled into a tighter ball, snuggled closer to Zexion, and closed her eyes. In minutes, she was asleep.

-----

Zexion stepped out of a portal and into the hallway that led to The Superiors office. It was still early morning, but Zexion knew Xemnas would be there. Zexion's footsteps echoed in the empty hallway, sounding louder and more sinister than they normally would have. Only when he stopped in front of the only door in the hallway did the sinister quality of his movements cease.

He knocked once on the door, the sound far louder than he had expected. He flinched unnoticeably at the loud noise, and then straightened his shoulders at the command to enter.

"Ah, Number Six..." Xemnas stood as Zexion entered his office. "Have you attained the information I need?"

Zexion couldn't stop a smirk from crossing his face. "Yes, Superior." He inclined his head in the slightest of bows. "They're in Hollow Bastion."

"You're sure of this?"

"Yes, Superior. She told me herself… After...I'd gained her trust." His smirk widened a bit, and he thought he saw Xemnas' eyes flash in comprehension.

"You've done well, Number Six." Xemnas said. "Now, if I were you, I would return to Number Thirteen. No doubt she will wonder where you are."

Zexion bowed low as he backed out of the office. "Yes, Superior."

-----

"Xembré," Xembré shifted, unwilling to come out of the warm comfort of sleep. The low voice gently urged her to join the realm of the living, rather than the sleeping, and reluctantly she opened her eyes. Immediately a mouth covered hers in a kiss lacking anything close to restraint. For a moment she thought the events of the night before were going to repeat themselves. And then Zexion pulled away.

"Good morning," He said softly.

Xembré smiled. "Morning," She replied brightly. Though still sleepy, she was happy. Grabbing Zexion's arm, she pulled him down to lie beside her, and cuddled up against him.

"What do you want to do today?" Zexion asked after a moment.

Xembré let out a muffled "I dunno."

"Why don't you go shower?" Zexion asked after a little bit. "I'll go down to the lounge and fix up the couch so we can go watch a movie or something." He placed a kiss on her brow, and then got up, watching as Xembré stretched, and sat up. He cast an appraising eye over her, smirking to himself.

"What?!" Xembré demanded, blushing.

"You're beautiful." Zexion answered. "Now go shower. I'll be waiting for you downstairs." Without another word, he disappeared into a portal, leaving Xembré to find her clothes, and then portal into her room.

She showered quickly, and then took a little time to dress and make herself presentable. She combed out her hair, and then smiled at herself in the mirror, pleased with her appearance. She knew Zexion was most likely waiting impatiently for her to join him, and so, in favor of Zexion's feelings, she opened a portal to the lounge.

"Hi, Zexy," She greeted Number Six, seating herself beside him, and wrapping her arms around his waist. He sat cross-legged on the floor leaning against the couch, and had apparently not noticed her as she entered the room. He looked up at her, and a barely noticeable smile hovered about his features.

Xembré kissed the side of his neck playfully, feeling kittenish and coy. Then she moved so she sat in front of Zexion, leaning against him. The Cloaked Schemer obediently put his arms around her waist, and pulled her close.

"Hello, Xembré." He whispered in her ear before kissing the sensitive flesh just behind her ear.

Xembré giggled. "Are we going to watch a movie?" She asked. She could barely concentrate with Zexion behind her, pressing hot kisses to the side of her neck.

Zexion pulled a fraction of an inch away to answer. "Maybe… Or maybe, we could do something else." His breath tickled Xembré's neck. He knew, because he felt Xembré squirm, and he could sense that she was trying not to laugh.

"What did you have in mind?" Xembré asked, settling herself more comfortably down in front of Zexion. Zexion heard the smile in her voice, and put on his own smile.

"I don't know…" Zexion answered. With careful movements, he leaned around to kiss Xembré. "Maybe just this?"

-----

Later on, Xembré lay stretched on her bed, drowsing. She was exhausted, and ready to sleep through what was left of the day. If only she had been able to. Her phone rang, and she started out of a dream-like state, where she had been visiting Axel and Demyx. With a groan, and a bit of a thump as she slid out of bed, she approached her phone, ready to tell whoever had woken her up off.

"Hello…?" She asked as she picked up the phone.

"Hey, bitch."

Before whoever was on the other line could say anything else, Xembré screamed and threw the phone back down. She had been wandering around the castle for weeks trying not to think about the 'Demon Mickey' picture. Now it seemed he was calling her on the phone! Too scared and paranoid to do anything else, Xembré summoned her katana and crouched in a corner, wishing Zexion was there to protect her.

As she sat crouched in her corner, fearing the worst, yet despising her fear, she listened as footsteps approached her room. The footsteps paused, and then the doorknob turned. For a moment it appeared time had slowed, and then, the door opened. With a shriek, she leapt up and toward what she assumed was 'Demon Mickey'.

Only, it wasn't Demon Mickey. It was Zexion. The Cloaked Schemer barely avoided Xembré's blow, and had to sidestep around her, and grab both her wrists to stop her full-on charge. Xembré's katana dropped to the floor, and she turned to press her face into Zexion's chest.

"Are you trying to kill me, Xembré?" Zexion asked, completely serious.

Xembré smiled in an embarrassed way. "I thought you were Demon Mickey…" She admitted, hiding her face in the folds of Zexion's cloak, hoping he wouldn't notice her flushed face. "He just called me…"

Zexion chuckled. "No, I called you." He replied, holding Xembré at arms length so he could look at her. Her face was flushed with embarrassment, but an incredulous look had come across her face.

"Zexion, why did you call me a bitch?" Xembré asked. She let herself sound hurt, because it did hurt, sort of… After all, Zexion had just insulted her.

Zexion chuckled once again, and pulled Xembré closer. "Because it's true. You are my bitch."

With an indignant 'oh, so that's it,' Xembré pulled away from Zexion and crossed to sit on her bed, crossing her arms and legs, and looking away. "If you were trying to be romantic, it didn't work." She said, without even gracing him with a side-long glance.

"Ah, come on, Xembré. I was just joking." Zexion approached Xembré, giving her a suggestive grin. "You have to admit, none one else in the Organization could have gotten you." He plopped down on the bed beside her, only to have her turn away from him. So, he upped his efforts.

"Xembré, you know you love me…" He said, wrapping his arms around her and nuzzling at her neck.

"No, I'm mad at you." She said, jerking away from him.

Zexion kept going, knowing that he'd gotten to her a bit. "You may be mad at me, but I've got to tell you something. Xemnas wants us to go out tonight, and look for Number Eight, Nine and Twelve. So, you're stuck with me. You might as well forgive me now…" He saw Xembré waver, and decided to go on. Hooking his fingers under her chin, he turned her face toward him, and kissed her deeply.

"Fine," Xembré said as Zexion pulled away. "I forgive you."

-----

"You go that way," Zexion pointed down a dark, narrow street, indicating the direction he wanted Xembré to go. "I'll go this way." He jerked his chin toward the street he would follow. Xembré nodded, and started off, hoping that she would not find her friends.

The dark streets of Hallow Bastion reminded her of The World That Never Was. Minus the neon-lights, it could have passed for that world. Dark clouds rolled and boiled in the sky, adding to the darkness down below. As Xembré walked silently down the street, she prayed to whatever gods there were out there that she would not see the tell-tale flash of fire that would alert Zexion to Axel's presence. She knew that wherever Axel was, Demyx was, and vice-versa. The only reason she had a suspicion that her friends might be in Hallow Bastion was because of the many times Demyx had told her about the world, wishing that he could go there more often.

"Psst, Xembré!"

Xembré jumped, and spun around.

"Hey, kiddo!" Before Xembré could even comprehend what was going on, she found herself enveloped in the warm embrace that could only belong to Axel. And then she felt herself hugged again, and she knew instinctively that it was Demyx.

"What are you guys doing?! Zexion's around here somewhere, you should be hiding!" She pulled indignantly out of the arms of her friends, planting her hands on her hips. But she couldn't be angry with them. She was too happy to see them.

Axel gave her a confident smirk. "Ol' Zexy doesn't bother us." He proclaimed. Then he grinned. "Besides, we couldn't resist seeing you for at least a little bit."

Xembré shook her head, helpless against the laughter welling up in her. "You guys, you're too nice for your own good." She said, laughing helplessly. She looked up at Axel and Demyx, feeling the pure fondness for her friends almost literally sparkling in her eyes.

Demyx hugged her again, kissing the crown of her head. "How've you been, Xembré?"

"I've been fine," Xembré replied. "How've you guys been? Are you all okay?"

"I'm much better now," Demyx replied. "I missed you, Xembré."

"How touching…" Xembré spun around again as the voice broke into their conversation. "If I could, I would cry."

"Zexion…" Xembré gasped.

The Cloaked Schemer smirked evilly at her. He held a katana loosely in one hand as he approached at a slow walk. A clap of thunder crashed over-head. Demyx flinch, but Xembré stood motionless, watching the approach of Number Six.

"I knew you would lead me to the traitors." Zexion said softly. "I knew they couldn't resist the chance to see you. How pitiful."

Xembré took a step forward, standing bravely in front of Demyx. "Guys, go. I'll take care of Zexion." She commanded her friends. As she spoke she summoned her katana. Her katana appeared in her hands with a flash of blue light. But as she glanced once at it, she saw that it was not her katana. Yet, it had to be, for she had summoned it. This katana was the same length, the same style, but the blade was tinged green-ish. The hand-guard was a blooming rose, and the vine of the rose twined down the hilt. The feel was the same, and the weight was the same. But it looked completely different.

"Hey," Axel spoke from behind her. "I'm Number Eight, and you're Number Thirteen. That makes me a higher rank, and I should be giving you orders!"

"Do you want to be a dead Number Eight?" Xembré demanded. She had no time to deal with Axel and his ego.

"No..."

"Then get out of here! I'll hold him off!"

"But,"

"No, Demyx. Just go!"

Xembré almost literally felt Demyx's hesitation, and then with the sound of a portal, the Nobodies disappeared, leaving her and Zexion standing silently in the darkness. Another clap of thunder shattered the stillness of the night, and as lightning flashed, the rain came in driving sheets.

"So, you've chosen your side, I see…" Zexion broke the silence between them. "It's too bad this had to happen. I really didn't want to do this…..No, I lied. I really did."

With that taunt, Zexion made his move, leaping forward and swinging his katana. Xembré side-stepped, parrying the blow easily, only to have the next lightning-quick slash rip the sleeve of her cloak. She had not expected Zexion to strike again so soon. Without any time to think, she was blocking and parrying blow after swift blow, forced to back down or be cut to pieces.

Only when Zexion paused to circle around her did she get the chance to breath freely again. Circling with The Cloaked Schemer, careful never to let her guard down or leave her back vulnerable, she watched the Schemer's every more carefully, focusing her eyes on his neck, so she would be able to see his every move.

He came at her again with a downward slash. She blocked, ducking under their blades. Her movement brought her close to Zexion, too close for him to use his katana. Using her advantage as best she could, she struck him a hard blow in the solar-plexus, knocking him breathless. As he staggered back, she lifted her katana and thrust at him. He parried the thrust, barely, and then they were at it again.

Soon the rain was coming down in torrents. The ground was soon one big puddle. The two Nobodies slipped and slid through the rain, fighting hard, the clash of metal on metal the only sound in the night, besides the rain. Thunder crashed, and lightning split the sky time after time, the flashes of lightning illuminating the horrific scene below of lovers fighting to the death.

The fight ended when Xembré slipped, letting her guard down for a split second. That fraction of a second was all Zexion needed. As Xembre's feet slid from under her, Zexion thrust upward, thrusting his blade deep into Xembre's unprotected stomach.

Xembré gasped at the pain, and her katana dropped from nerveless fingers. Zexion leaned toward her, letting his lips tickle her ear as he whispered to her.

"You should have gone with your friends, fool. Now you will die, alone and friendless. And once you're gone, I will be free to find your friends and kill them as well." He pulled his katana out of Xembré once he had finished his small speech, and stood back, watching as she fell to her knees, and then collapsed onto the rain-washed ground.

"It really is a pity," He said as he wiped his blade on his cloak. "You are such a pretty thing… But, it couldn't be helped." He smirked and then turned to leave.

"I trusted you, Zexion."

Zexion stopped in his tracks as Xembré grated the words hatefully at him. "You know, the odd thing is, Demyx did too. He stole your sketch book, and then gave it to me to give to you, so you would think I had found it for you. He tried his hardest to get us together. It's really rather sad. I wonder if he knew things would end like this."

Xembré hated the smirk residing on Zexion's features. She realized now how stupid she had been. She hated herself for letting Zexion fool her. She hated Zexion for stealing her from Demyx, who rightfully should have had her love. She hated the pain that washed over her, numbing her limbs. Blood pooled around her, and with ever passing second she felt her life ebbing. She had very little time.

"Zexion, you're a jerk."

Xembré gasped as Zexion applied light pressure to her wound. And then he knelt beside her. She gazed up at him through glazed eyes, hating every ounce of his non-being.

"I trusted you!" Xembré said again. Her rationality was leaving along with her life. That was when she realized: She was crying. Warm tears flooded down her cheeks, leaving her feeling weaker as each one fell to the ground underneath her, mingling with her blood.

Zexion reached down and touched her face lightly, seemingly intrigued by the tears. He wiped one away, and then looked Xembré in the eye.

"Xembré, you're crying…" He spoke as though he couldn't believe it.

Was that the rain on his face, or was he crying as well? Barely able to see through the curtain of fog that was enveloping her senses, Xembré lifted one hand weakly to touched Zexion's face, wiping away the single tear. And then slowly, ever so slowly, Xembré faded. Her last living thought was something along the lines of "_Maybe I was just meant to be alone forever…"_ Soon enough, she was gone, into the Darkness that had taken many other before her; leaving Zexion crouched alone in the darkness.

"What have I done?" Zexion asked himself as he sat crouched in the rain, paying no heed to the wet state of his cloak. He lifted his hand to stare at it, dripping with rain. "I killed her… She didn't deserve it, but I killed her." He could not make the situation make sense. Had he wanted to kill Xembré, really? Had he…loved her? What was the wetness on his face? It wasn't… rain, surely…

"I deserve not life…" Zexion mused. Silently summoning a sharp, ivory handled knife, Zexion plunged it into his own stomach, hardly thinking about the action. He slumped forward, already feeling the embrace of the Darkness. "Maybe I _wasn't_ meant to be alone forever…" He whispered. And then he faded.

The rain continued to fall, washing away all traces of the horrendous acts that had taken place that night. The blood washed away, and the blemishes of the perfect night were soon gone, from sight and from memory. The only ones who had witnessed the tragedy were gone forever.

--------

_Oh my gosh… It's over… I can't believe it… -sob- That was the saddest thing I've ever written… _

_That was the 'original' ending. I am not going to use this ending for real. The 'alternate' ending is the one I will be using for the sequel. Don't worry; the alternate ending is very much happy. I'll tell you now: the alternate ending is Xembré x Demyx. And it's very, very happy. I'll put it up almost right away, and then, would you all like a sneak peak of the sequel? I'm sure you would love one! Lol_

_Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who has read this story. Special thanks go to those of you who have been with me and Xembré from the beginning. Thank you also to Oathy, who has not only supported me through this whole story, but has also offered inspiration, and her editing skills. I must also thank a special friend of mine, the one who gave me the idea of a sequel, without whom half this story would not have come about. I will not mention her name, because she does not use this sight, but I will say that she is the best friend a girl, especially a writer, could ask for. Thank you again for all the reviews, and I am glad you enjoyed this story. _

_- Andruindel _


	21. Alternate Ending

Alternate Ending

--------

"So, you've chosen your side, I see…" Zexion broke the silence between them. "It's too bad this had to happen. I really didn't want to do this…..No, I lied. I really did."

With that taunt, Zexion made his move, leaping forward and swinging his katana. Xembré side-stepped, parrying the blow easily, only to have the next lightning-quick slash rip the sleeve of her cloak. She had not expected Zexion to strike again so soon. Without any time to think, she was blocking and parrying blow after swift blow, forced to back down or be cut to pieces.

Only when Zexion paused to circle around her did she get the chance to breath freely again. Circling with The Cloaked Schemer, careful never to let her guard down or leave her back vulnerable, she watched the Schemer's every more carefully, focusing her eyes on his neck, so she would be able to see his every move.

He came at her again with a downward slash. She blocked, ducking under their blades. Her movement brought her close to Zexion, too close for him to use his katana. Using her advantage as best she could, she struck him a hard blow in the solar-plexus, knocking him breathless. As he staggered back, she lifted her katana and thrust at him. He parried the thrust, barely, and then they were at it again.

Soon the rain was coming down in torrents. The ground was soon one big puddle. The two Nobodies slipped and slid through the rain, fighting hard, the clash of metal on metal the only sound in the night, besides the rain. Thunder crashed, and lightning split the sky time after time, the flashes of lightning illuminating the horrific scene below of lovers fighting to the death.

The fight ended when Xembré slipped, letting her guard down for a split second. Zexion needed nothing more than that fraction of a second. He flicked his blade upward, disarming Xembré and sending her blade spinning through the air. As Xembré fell to her knees, it was only to find Zexion's blade at her throat.

"You're a jerk, Zexion. I trusted you." Xembré snarled at the Schemer. On her knees, there was hardly anything for her to do. She could only glare hatefully up at Zexion, her eyes flashing and her hands clenched into fists as she waited for an inevitable death.

"That's quite a coincidence… Demyx trusted me too. It was his idea for us to get together. You have no idea how hard he tried to get us together. He took your sketchbook, and gave it to me to give to you, so it would look like I had found it for you. And, of course, there was the Christmas Party." He sighed emphatically, and then smirked.

"Isn't it sad that he's not here to save you?" He said. "I would have thought someone who loved you as much as he did would have stayed to fight in your place. But, I like it better this way."

With the light of anticipation in his eyes, Zexion raised his katana. Before he could deliver the finishing blow, a figure hurtled out of the darkness, tackling Xembré out of harms way. Xembré cried out, both from surprise and pain as her shoulder smashed into the hard cobblestone ground.

And then she was looking up into a pair of sapphire-blue eyes. For a moment time seemed to have stopped completely as she gazed into the eyes of the best friend she could have ever asked for. "Demyx…" Her lips formed the silent word, and she saw the shadow of a smile cross his face. But then time resumed, and Demyx looked up at Zexion, who thankfully was too shocked to react just yet. Taking advantage of the momentary surprise of his enemy, Demyx formed a portal and rolled into it with Xembré.

Xembré felt arms wrap around her as she and Demyx disappeared into the portal. She relaxed into Demyx's arms, relieved to be safe, and with her friend.

Once out of the portal, she smiled up at Demyx, who gazed lovingly down at her. And then Demyx blushed and looked away. He got up, freeing Xembré, and then pulled her to her feet. All Xembré could do was gaze at him in wonder.

"You can back…" She whispered, catching Demyx's hands in hers.

Demyx glanced down at their hands, and then looked up. "Actually, I never left. I couldn't just leave you there. And then I just couldn't stand by and watch that bastard kill you. The world wouldn't really be the same without you…" He smiled in an embarrassed way, but let his smile drop when Xembré lowered her eyes.

"I'm sorry Demyx. I'm sorry I picked Zexion over you. I'm sorry I let Zexion fool me. I'm sorry I stayed behind. I was too stupid to realize what a great friend you are, and how much you really care for me. I really like you, Demyx. But I don't deserve someone like you." She lowered her head, wanting to look up at Demyx, but feeling unable to.

Demyx squeezed her hands. "Xembré, you made a mistake. Everyone makes mistakes. What's important is that you realize that, and try to fix it." He reached to run his hand through her hair, and then tilted her chin so he could look at her.

"How can I fix it?" She asked in a quavery voice.

Demyx grinned. "Easy, kiss me." Xembré willingly complied.

"Oy, Demyx!" The two Nobodies broke apart and looked up to see Axel, followed by Larxene, running toward them.

"Nice to see you rescued Xembré." Axel said, grinning.

Xembré smiled, and then threw herself at Axel. Soon she was enveloped in the embraces of the two Nobodies she loved best. They were all together again.

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**EPILOGUE!**

Zexion could not believe his luck. He'd had her in his clutches, and then that idiot blonde had come butting in. Now he'd lost not only the three run-aways, but Xembré as well. The Superior was not going to be pleased with him.

A flutter on the ground attracted his attention, and he stooped to pick up a photo that must have fallen out of Xembré's cloak. It was wet, but not damaged. Zexion frowned as he looked at the picture. It was of him and Xembré. They'd taken it not too long ago. Xembré stood in the circle of Zexion's arms, with one arm around his neck, and the other extended to take the picture.

With a resentful sneer, Zexion crumpled the picture and threw it to the ground. But as he turned to leave, he stopped in his tracks as an idea began formulating in his mind. Turning back, he bent, picked up the photo, and straightened it out. Then, with an extremely calculating expression on his face, he stowed it in his cloak, and turned around once more. Soon, the Cloaked Schemer had disappeared into the darkness.


	22. Crazy Sneak Peak of DOOM!

Sneak Peak

Hello, all. Here's a sneak peak of the sequel. I'm sure you're all going to hate me for this. Heehee

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The sun streamed through the only window in the room. The walls were painted a gay shade of yellow, making the sunlight seem that much brighter. A desk sat in one corner, littered with papers, pencils, and markers. Sitting at the desk was a girl, who was drawing in a sketchbook. The girl's hair fell past her shoulders in waves of dark brown. Faded red highlights could still be seen, but just barely. A slick pink tongue poked out of her mouth as her dark blue eyes darkened slightly in concentration.

"Xembré!"

The girl didn't look up as the voice broke the stillness. She continued drawing. After a moment she set her pencil down, and selected a colored one. The color she selected was dark, steel gray. She considered it for a moment, and then set it down, picking up a darker, blue-black pencil. Pleased, she began coloring her drawing.

"Xembré!"

Again the voice broke the silence, and again the girl took no notice. She went right on coloring, now with silver, and then with black. She hesitated once, when the voice called once again, but only to consider two different pencils: Blood red and golden yellow. A shiver shook her slim frame, and she hastily set the two pencils down, and selected a pale yellow one.

Only when the door slammed open did the girl jump and spin around.

"Xembré, I found you!" A boy the age of seventeen had entered the room. He wore a relieved grin on his face, and his ocean-blue eyes were sparkling. His sandy-blonde hair was messy, as though he had run his hand continually through it in frustration, or something of the like. But he seemed not to care. He stepped further into the room, glancing about suspiciously before turning back to the girl.

"Come on, we've got to get out of here!"

The girl drew back in her chair, shivering, with a look of fear on her face. "Who are you?"


End file.
